A Dimmed Light
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: Something terrible happens to Mildred during the holidays. Can she get over the loss or not? if not, then what could happen to everyone's favourite Witch?
1. A Dimming Light

**Dimming Light**

Amelia Cackle, Headmistress of Cackle's Academy of Witchcraft, smiled in content as she watched the pupils fly into the courtyard after the winter holiday. Although the woman liked some piece and quiet, she was never happier when her school was filled with her pupils. Her staff had arrived the previous day to get things sorted, and she had spent part of the afternoon going over some paperwork with her deputy, Constance Hardbroom. The tall and prim woman had been something of a puzzle to Cackle over the years, and it was a puzzle that she feared may never be solved. Hardbroom had taken a couple of posts before arriving at Cackle's some years ago, but had never applied for any other position. Amelia was in no doubt that Constance was qualified to become Headmistress of her own school, and knew for certain through contacts of several positions turned down since she had got there. All the other witch would say was that she was happy enough where she was, and would move on when the time was right.

"Miss Cackle?" a male voice shook her from her thoughts and made the Headmistress look at the staff room door to see Mr Blossom.

"Something I can do for you, Frank?" asked Cackle.

"I've just had a telephone call from the timber merchant, Miss Cackle. They can not get the wood I need until Tuesday" Mr Blossom said.

"Is that going to be much of a problem?" she asked.

"I would say no, but you know what magic can do around here" Mr Blossom replied. "Would it be possible for you to not have the girls fly their brooms near the West Wing until after I have fixed the turret beams? The magic in them affects the beams when they fly past" he asked. Blossom was not a magic user, and he never would be. He knew what the uses were for it, and knew very well what it could affect. The magical backwash from the brooms was causing the top most beams to become very weak.

"I shall inform Miss Hardbroom when I see her" Amelia said. After Blossom had left, she looked back out of the window at the last few girls to land – Mildred Hubble being amongst the last. Cackle was fully prepared to jump to the floor when she was astonished to see the girl make a text book landing. She was even more surprised to see the girl pick up her things and walk right into the hall – not bothering to speak to her friends. Perhaps she was going through a mood swing, or maybe just was tired and wanted to get some rest right away.

# # # # #

"Did you see Mildred Hubble this afternoon, Constance?" asked Cackle that evening.

"I saw all of the girls, Amelia" Hardbroom said. "I greeted them all back as they landed" but Cackle shook her head.

"I watched her land as good as Ethel Hallow could do. Then, as I watched her, she just picked up her bag and broom and went indoors. I heard from Imogen that she went right to her room" she said.

"I did notice that" said Hardbroom, "But I presumed she was going through one of the changes" Hardbroom referred to one of the changes that a Witch went though during puberty. "I overheard Maud Moonshine speaking near the Potion Lab after dinner. From what I could make out, Mildred never attended dinner but asked for just a glass of milk" and the deputy frowned ever so slightly. "I have never known her to be off her food. I know, of course, it does not look very good, but it does give them what they need. I shall keep an eye on her, and brew a special potion if there is need of it" she added. The potion was to help the witch go through the changes her body was undertaking to adapt better to magic. Although it should be brewed by qualified potion persons, Hardbroom had taught it to Imogen Drill on the grounds there might be an accident which knocked out the three other members of staff. If that happened, and one of the girls needed the potion, then it would be up to Drill to make it in a hurry.

"I do not think that it has come to that, yet…" Cackle said. "I think it prudent, however, that we keep an eye on Mildred Hubble. The last thing we need is Mistress Broomhead breathing down out necks"

"If she does that, then I shall allow Ruby Cherrytree to use her as a test subject in one of her experiments" Hardbroom said, and Cackle was not sure if this was an attempt at humour or her deputy being very serious.

# # # # #

"Milly?" Maud Moonshine knocked on the door to her friend's bedroom. There was the sound of a drawer being slammed shut and of somebody getting into bed quickly.

"Go away!" Mildred shouted through the space between them. "Go back to bed!"

"That is a very good idea, Maud" the sound of Miss Drill made the young witch turn around with a slight gasp.

"Sorry, Miss" Maud apologised. "I just wanted to make sure that she was alright. She hasn't eaten any dinner at all, and she hasn't spoken to anybody. I saw her check some books out of the library before it was closed, but that was the last I saw of her"

"Don't worry yourself, Maud" Drill said. "The rest of the staff know all about it, and we think that Mildred is going through a change"

"What chang – Oh…" Maud said.

"I bet she'll be back to the ditzy klutz we all know and love in the morning" Drill said with a reassuring smile.

"Even Miss Hardbroom?" asked Maud.

"_Even_ Miss Hardbroom" said Drill. "Now then, get yourself to bed before I am forced to give you a detention" and Maud thanked the teacher before hurrying to her own room. As she lay in bed, she wished her friend would be better in the morning. Her mother always said that a good night's sleep was a great cure, and Maud guessed that she would find out if that was really the case.

"Oh, Milly…" she said sadly at her friend's illness.

# # # # #

Mildred waited a minute or two before stepping out of bed and crossing to her chest of drawers. She opened one of them and took out a sharp little knife and some balls of cotton. Locking her door so nobody could open it and come bounding in, she pressed the knife into her arm just below her shoulder – hissing slightly as it cut into her flesh. As she watched the blood trickle down her arm, Mildred felt alive for the first time all day. Since the accident, Mildred had been living rough. The day before her return to Cackle's, she had taken all of her clothes to a launderette to clean them in order that nobody would suspect a thing the following day. She had stolen the knife and cotton from a craft shop a few days before that, and every time she saw the blood coming out of her body, she knew she was alive. Her entire world felt dead to her, she had lost those closest to her and she included her beloved cat Tabby in that group. The poor creature had been decapitated in the crash, and Mildred had been sobbing as she buried the cat under a willow tree next to the lake near her home. She had been forced to use magic to keep herself alive, but the Foster's effect had not been brought into play. Creating a tent and a fire was essential and not a trivial or selfish purpose. She let the blood fall down her arm for a few more minutes before holding a piece of cotton to it so the bleeding stopped. Once it had stopped, she cleaned the blood trails and put a plaster over the self inflicted cut. Although she could hide them for now, she was not looking forward to PE when the plasters might be seen. If she could convince the staff she was going through one of the changes, Miss Drill might let her off the PE lessons for a short while. The knife trick would not work for long, so Mildred thought about using some tablets which would be easier to hide. She could have them delivered to her via the post which was almost never looked at by Hardbroom.

# # # # #

"You may begin" Hardbroom said, and the forth year girls turned over the papers to start the potion making. She was puzzled to see Mildred sitting at her normal place, working as hard as she could, but ignoring her friends whom had tried to talk to her. Hardbroom had let it go on for several minutes longer then she would have normally done so, but had had to start the lesson. Throughout the entire potion lesson everyone in the room spared a look at Mildred who looked a bit pale as she worked through the list of potion ingredients. The only truly odd thing was that she was itching her left shoulder from time to time, and Hardbroom had spotted something pink attached to just under her shoulder. It didn't look to be any type of sweet, nor was it a potion cheat aid, but then she thought that Mildred had cut herself before arriving back at Cackle's and therefore the itching was the skin healing back together. With her mind at ease, she was ready to test the voice changing potions once they had been brewed.

"Are you alright?" asked Maud after the lesson was over.

"Of course I am" Mildred said. "Why do you think otherwise?"

"You have been ignoring us all of HB's lesson" Enid commented, "And you were not very hospitable yesterday either" she added.

"Oh, I am sorry" Mildred said. "I knew HB was going to give us some kind of potion test today, so I wanted to be ready and not get into one of her bad moods" and her friends nodded in understanding. They knew that Hardbroom seemingly took a special delight in picking on their friend.

"That was noted, Mildred" Miss Hardbroom said. "Although I am pleased that you want to study hard, you should not ignore your friends. Sometimes, Mildred, you can try too hard" and with that she vanished into thin air.

"That is still disturbing" muttered Ruby.

# # # # #

"I pity that girl" said Drill in the staff room that afternoon. "She tries so hard to get things right, and this time tried too hard to be a model student"

"She did seem a little depressed during my chanting lesson" Miss Bat said. She was sat in the corner of the room knitting a jumper of some kind. From the looks of things, the person going to wear it had to be at least 9ft tall, 6ft wide and have five arms.

"Is that so surprising?" asked Hardbroom.

"What do you mean by that?" Bat asked, glancing at the stationary cupboard.

"What Constance means is that Mildred was not in the mood to chant and there was depressed about letting you down" Cackle said quickly.

"Oh, that poor girl" Bat said sympathetically. "Perhaps I should go and speak to her…"

"Actually, Davina, that would be a bad thing to do. I am sure that Mildred would then feel even more certain she had let you down" Drill said. "Do you not agree, Miss Hardbroom?" she asked.

"Perhaps so" the deputy said after a moment's thought.

"Nonetheless, I think we should keep an eye on her" said Cackle. "I do not want her to feel she is letting us down by making herself ill"

# # # # #

Cackle didn't know how close she was with that prediction. Mildred sliced the knife into her thigh and made a deep cut of about an inch into her flesh. As the blood ran down her leg, she hissed for a moment and then sighed as the pain hit her fully. Pain was very good. Pain let her know she was alive. Pain made everything better for a short while. Cutting into her upper thighs was better because nobody would notice the scars, and Cackle's at least had individual shower cubicles. Although the girls were wearing athletic skirts, Mildred had convinced Miss Drill that she could not find skirts of her size and therefore would have to keep wearing shorts until she could go into the village and buy some while on the next trip to Cosie's. Once she had had enough pain for the night, she went through the normal routine of stopping the blood flow and putting a larger plaster over the wound.

# # # # #

"And where, Mildred Hubble, is your cat?" asked Hardbroom. The teacher had found Mildred at the back of the group of girls that awaited the next lesson of Cat Training.

"I don't want to talk about it, Miss Hardbroom" Mildred said quietly, looking down at the floor. Her friends looked back at her with concern etched into their faces. Hardbroom was about to order the girl to say what the matter was when it occurred that something was wrong.

"Mildred, please step into the corridor. As for the rest of you, please start reading the fourth chapter of your advanced training manuals" Hardbroom watched the girls follow her instructions. She stepped into the corridor and closed the door to the classroom. "Now then, Mildred" she began, "Tell me what the matter is" and to her surprise Mildred burst into tears.

"Tabby is dead, Miss…!" she wailed. "He was hit by a car, and the impact killed him…" and Hardbroom felt sorry for the poor girl.

"I did wonder why I didn't see your cat the other day, but I merely assumed he was ill and required treatment we could not give him here" she said. "Mildred, I am most sorry for your loss. If you wish, you may sit the rest of the lesson out in your room, or go to the library and read quietly" she snapped her fingers and a small piece of paper appeared which she handed to the still crying girl.

"I'll go read in the library, Miss. Thank you, Miss" Mildred said, taking the paper and walking slowly and sadly away. When she walked in, the other girls, minus Ethel Hallow and Drusilla Paddock, looked at her as if she had been the cause of Mildred's sudden outburst of tears.

# # # # #

Mildred sat in the biggest armchair in the quietest corner of the library reading a spell book. She had not been strictly lying to Hardbroom about Tabby's death. If that car had not hit the one she was in, then her family would be alive and so would her beloved Tabby. It was hard for her to put on a normal face around her friends and the school as a whole, and Mildred assumed that it would be even harder once news of Tabby's demise got around. Looking at the time on the grandfather clock, she decided to her room and get her PE kit out and change ready for the lesson. She reached her room shortly before the end of lesson bell sounded, and she got dressed quickly and then checked her appearance so nobody would see any of the plasters on her arm or upper thigh. She was not bothered by them herself, the girl just didn't want to keep explaining the plasters to everyone she met. At least during most lessons she could keep the cuts on her thigh covered by the gymslip she wore as part of her uniform.


	2. The Darkening Light

**The Darkening Light**

"Oh…" said Bat when Hardbroom informed the rest of the teaching staff that Tabby had died. "That poor girl" she added.

"We should get her another cat at once" declared Cackle.

"I would rather that we waited for a while, Miss Cackle" Hardbroom said. "It is clear that the girl is still upset by her familiar's death, and this could cause her magic to become somewhat dangerous. I would hazard a guess that it would be on a scale of the Lucy Fairweather incident. However, there is the matter of the formal caution" Hardbroom added, and Cackle grimaced almost as much as Bat did.

"What do you mean?" asked Drill. "You can not charge Mildred Hubble for something that was not her fault"

"Wouldn't be the first time" Bat put in, and Hardbroom looked very uneasy for a few moments.

"I sometimes forget that you do not know everything about witchcraft, Imogen" Cackle said. "Witches in Training are supposed to have familiars. If they do not, then they are cautioned for not having one by the Witches Guild. Once witches have graduated, then they may choose not to have another cat once the first one has died. The exception is Pentangle's which, as you know, uses Owls instead of Cats"

"I have an idea" said Drill after a moment of thinking. "If Mildred's magic has the chance of becoming dangerous, then why not tell the Guild that it is not appropriate for Mildred to have another animal at this moment in time"

"And have Mistress Broomhead snooping around again?" Hardbroom asked her. "She only has four months until retirement, and I would like them to pass very smoothly for her" the deputy said very dryly, but with a hint of humour to her tone.

"Let us keep this to ourselves for a while" said Cackle. "If we have Mildred get another cat so quickly, I am sure that she would be inconsolable for the next hundred years. Besides, Mildred might neglect the poor cat as she would still be thinking of Tabby"

"I shall keep an eye on her grades" Hardbroom said. "Should they start to slide downwards, I shall have words with her" and the deputy headmistress would have said more if Drusilla had not knocked on the half open staff room door.

# # # # #

Mildred's friends gathered in her room that evening to talk about Tabby, and how it had sometimes helped to save the day. They talked well into the night, and they had special permission from Cackle to be out of bed later then normal.

"He was such a brave cat" Mildred said – face streaked and marred by tears.

"One of the bravest" agreed Jadu.

"Why did he have to die so young…?" sobbed Mildred.

"One by one" said Enid, "Only the good die young" to which the others could only agree.

"At least it was quick" Ruby said. "I am sure that he never felt a thing"

"Do you think Tabby is in heaven?" Mildred asked the group.

"I'm sure of it" said Maud. "I bet that Tabby is laying on some giant bed right now"

"And being served fresh kippers from a silver platter" giggled Mildred. "Oh, and being given milk from a solid gold bowl"

"And shedding fur all over a Hallow" Ruby said, and Mildred laughed even harder.

"Now you're sounding much better" Jadu said. Miss Drill came by a few minutes later to say they had to get to bed now, and they left a happier looking Mildred alone. The moment the door closed, an icy mask came over the girl and she went for her knife and cut herself – letting the blood flow for several minutes. As she placed a plaster on the latest self inflicted wound, Mildred looked at the raised pink and silver marks that showed cuts in different stages of healing. Whilst she had been reading the book in the library that afternoon, she had come across a potion that would heal skin that wouldn't otherwise do so. She also found one that would stop the taker from hurting from emotional pain for up to seven hours. Once brewed, it would be good for a couple of days. Sitting at her desk, Mildred wrote out a plan of what she needed to do to make it. In one of the science magazines that Ruby had given her was an advertisement for a miniature science lab kit. If Mildred could order one of those, then she could then purloin the potion ingredients she needed from Hardbroom's stock room. It was very unlikely that the older witch would miss a few scoopfuls and a couple of pinches here and there. She resolved to getting up early tomorrow so she could fill in the application form. Miss Cackle had asked her to go into the village the next day to collect her copy of _Cheesecake Weekly_ from the Post Office. If all went well, then Mildred would only need to make the potion for a week or so. After that, she was sure that the death of her family and Tabby would not feel so raw.

# # # # #

Over the next few weeks, Mildred got the science kit and made the potion using it. So her friends didn't suspect anything, she only took it in the evenings when she would be in her room reading up on old texts for various classes. They did, however, notice that Mildred seemed to be loosing some weight, but any attempt to discuss this with her proved to be the start of an argument with Mildred. The staff kept an eye on the girl, but as her grades were exceptional there was not much they could do except ask her if everything was alright. They couldn't pry into Mildred's privacy too much, but Cackle was concerned about her often pale appearance and stick like figure. If there was no change by the end of the week, Cackle would call the staff together and question Mildred quite thoroughly about her decline into nothing.

One weekend, Charlie Blossom came around from Camelot to visit Cackle's. Apart from his Uncle Frank, Charlie was one of the few males that Hardbroom liked. Charlie often came round on periods off to catch up with the latest news, and helped with the vegetable garden. The trainee wizard liked seeing his good friends Mildred, Maud, Enid, Ruby and Jadu, and Charlie had brought some treats for them in his satchel. The first thing he did after arriving at Castle Overblow was to go straight to Miss Cackle's office and let her know he had arrived safely. The Headmistress would remind him that he didn't have to do that, as she knew news of him would spread quickly, but Charlie replied he did it because he respected Cackle greatly. The matter of the three boxes of cheesecake mixture he handed over was something completely different.

"Did you hear about Mildred's poor cat?" she asked him.

"No" Charlie paused at her office door. "What happened?"

"I am afraid that poor little cat died after being hit by a car" Cackle said. "She hasn't been the same since" and Charlie nodded.

"Well perhaps she'll cheer herself up when I see her" he said.

"Lessons will be over in a few minutes" Cackle said. "Mildred is in the Potion Lab. I am certain that Mildred will be happy to see you"

# # # # #

"Charlie!" Mildred hugged her friend, but Charlie frowned as he felt how thin she was.

"Mildred Hubble, would you mind putting that poor boy down? You don't know where he has been" Hardbroom said.

"Charlie isn't poor" Mildred said. "And he has been at Camelot" she added.

"Quite…" Hardbroom had a slight smile on her face. For the first time in a while, Mildred looked genuinely happy to see another of her friends. She would have spent the half term with Merlin and his Master, but then the boy had come down with Dragon Pox and had to stay in bed. Most of the school had arranged to go home for the short week away, or stay at a friend's house. Mildred had informed her form mistress that she was going to stay at the school over the break and use the time to study hard.

"Why don't you come with us for lunch?" asked Ruby.

"Well, Milly?" Charlie asked, "Shall we?"

"I was… Oh why not?" Mildred said, and followed her friends to the dining hall for lunch.

"_Perhaps she needed to see her boyfriend_?" mused Hardbroom as she vanished into thin air.

# # # # #

"So how are things at Camelot?" asked Enid.

"Alright, I suppose" Charlie replied. "Barry Dragonsbane keeps giving me trouble about you, Milly, but I'm learning stuff I should already know" and the girls nodded.

"I never did like him" Mildred agreed. "After fixing the contest with the Chief Wizard, I am sure that he would pick on you because you are friends with me" and Charlie looked at her oddly.

"What do you mean they fixed it?"

"I thought you knew… Heliboring and two of his pupils were mixing stuff that was meant to ensure that they won the contest" Mildred said. They chatted for a while as they went through lunch – Charlie's appearance not getting too many raised eyebrows – before they gathered to put on their cloaks and went collecting Afternoon Pond Water. It had to be collected in order to make up an Impersonating Potion, and in a rare show of nicety, Hardbroom allowed Charlie to come with them. She was glad that Mildred had come out of the shell she had been in recently, and was only too ready to encourage her good health and well being.

# # # # #

Most of the occupants of the castle left the following day to spend the week's break away with their families. Mildred waved her friends off from the courtyard, and they made one last joke about Mildred being alone with Charlie. They were not together at all, but it was an image that both kept up as a sort of joke.

"So… what do you want to do first?" she asked Charlie.

"What about we go swimming?" suggested the boy. They let Hardbroom know what they were doing, where they were going, and at what time they expected to be back. The deputy suggested that they take a small picnic to eat after swimming, and asked them both to be careful. They changed into their swimming things – Charlie went into a bathroom to change into t-shirt and shorts – before going down to the lake for a couple of hours of fun. As she splashed one of her best boy friends, Mildred thought about the incident and found it not as bad that day. For the first time, it didn't bother her as much and she toyed with the idea of telling Charlie what had really happened – after making him swear an oath first. She decided to tell him in a day or so because she didn't want to spoil his time at Cackle's right away.

# # # # #

"I heard you went swimming with Mildred Hubble this morning" said Frank Blossom

"We had a great time" Charlie said, lifting the sack of potatoes off the wheelbarrow

"So when are you going to ask her the question then?" Mr Blossom looked at his young nephew with a serious expression.

"What question?" asked Charlie, taking some garden scissors off the shelf and cutting open the packet of onion seeds.

"About marrying you" and Mr Blossom was not disappointed by the reaction that he got.

"What the… We haven't even dated yet!" Charlie protested, but then he caught the twinkle in his Uncle's eyes. "I like her, of course, but I don't know if she likes me or not" he said, continuing with his work.

# # # # #

Mildred came back from the village after doing a little bit of shopping, and put the post and the two parcels she had thoughtfully collected from the Post office by the staff room door. Once she was in her room, she locked it and took the knife out from where she kept it. She opened one of the bottles she had with her, put some of the contents on a cloth and then gave it a wipe before using it to cut the top of her thigh. She wouldn't have done so if it had not been for something she had seen walking back. A family had been playing games round the village green, and the parents kept saying things like how lucky they were to have the children and how proud of them and how much they loved them. She had managed to keep the tears from rolling down her face until she was in the woods, but then let the sadness come over her once again.

"Mildred?" Miss Cackle called through the door. "Are you alright in there?" she asked.

"Yes, Miss Cackle" Mildred replied with a squeak of surprise.

"You don't sound like it" the Headmistress replied.

"I was just changing into some different clothes, Miss" Mildred said. "You just surprised me – that's all"

"Oh, well sorry about that, Mildred. I just thought you might want to know that we are all eating together this week. Mrs Tapioca has done Roast Beef for tonight's dinner" Cackle said.

"Thanks, Miss" Mildred said, then waited for the older witch to move away before sighing. If she hadn't locked the door, then there would have been a great deal of explaining to do. The girl made up her mind to end her pain once and for all sooner rather then later, and made sure she had what she needed to do her task. She'd do it after the break was over so that all of her friends found out at once.

# # # # #

"You know, Mildred, you seem a lot happier now then you have been previously" Miss Drill said.

"I was just really down because of Tabby's death" Mildred replied. "We've been through so much together, and now there's nothing else" she added.

"Have you thought about getting another cat?" asked Cackle.

"I know I have to get one, I just keep thinking that I would be betraying Tabby"

"I am sure that he wouldn't mind very much at all" Cackle said kindly.

"You would, of course, have to do immense amounts of training to bring your cat to the same level of standards as the rest of your year" Hardbroom said.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" Mildred replied.

"But that can wait until after the break, can it not?" Drill asked.

"Of course" the deputy replied, and then turned round to have a polite conversation with Miss Bat. Though the tall and prim woman would never admit it, she was glad that Bat had returned at the end of her chanting tour. Lavinia Crochet was very good as a chanting teacher, but she would insist on trying to give everybody a tarot card reading. She had alerted Miss Cackle twice about Bat's kidnapping in Crochet's first week there – there had been no wailing or dashes into the stationary cupboard.

"How are things at Camelot?" asked Drill.

"It's alright" said Charlie. "I get on fairly well, but I always look forward to coming here" he added.

"Well, you are always welcome here, Charlie Blossom" Hardbroom remarked.

"Thank you, Miss Hardbroom" he replied.

"May I be excused?" asked Mildred politely. She had finished her meal, and wanted to make a start on letters which she needed to write.

"Of course, dear" said Cackle. Mildred inclined her head in thanks before getting up, putting her plate on the trolley and going out of the dining hall.

# # # # #

_Dear Maud_

_You_

"Mildred?" Charlie called through the doorway. "I thought you might like to have a couple of games of chess" and he held the board under his arm.

"Okay" Mildred said. "Where do you want to go?"

"What about the library?" Charlie suggested. "I am sure nobody would disturb us"

"I'll catch you up" Mildred said. "Just need to put this away" and Charlie left to set the board up in the library.

# # # # #

"Check" Charlie moved his queen up two spaces.

"Check mate" Mildred took his queen with her own, and completed a tactical movement started nine moves previously.

"How have you got so good?" Charlie asked. "Are you using magic?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Charlie Blossom!" Mildred laughed, "Magic is not to be used for selfish or trivial reasons"

"Some would argue that Chess is an important subject" Charlie pointed out, and set the board up for another round. When they had had enough, the two friends had won three games each and drawn two. "Can I ask you something, Milly?"

"Sure"

"Why are you staying here? Why not spend the break with your family?" Charlie asked.

"I was going to, but they said they had won a competition for three to go to Spain. I didn't mind as I was going to see Merlin instead, but he came down with Dragon Pox and can't have visitors" Mildred said.

"So why not go with one of your friends?" Charlie asked.

"I don't want to be any worry" Mildred said. "I've been to their houses often enough during the summer and winter holidays… I'd like to take just one test and beat Ethel Hallow's score for a change. I can study up a bit with the time I have off while you help your Uncle"

"Maybe I could help you" Charlie offered as he put the chess pieces away.

"I don't know about that" Mildred replied.

"Two heads are better then one" the trainee wizard said.

"Not according to my entrance exam" said Mildred with a faint smile. She remembered the story she had made on her entrance examination concerning a two headed giant which argued all the time with itself.

"That's true" Charlie said, then reached out a hand to hold Mildred's. "I know you are upset about Tabby, but at least it was quick and painless. I know the others will have offered, but if you ever want to talk about it or anything else, then I am sure I can pop round on weekends" Charlie said.

"Thanks, Charlie. That's very kind of you" Mildred said, and was successful in not arousing suspicion in her friend. The day after every got back from the break was her birthday, and Mildred decided to do what she planned then. The letters would need to be written in her best handwriting, and she'd have to make sure that she had done one for everyone on her list.


	3. Cutting Issues

**Cutting Issues**

"Ah, I am glad I have found you, Constance" said Cackle.

"Is something the matter, Amelia?" Hardbroom asked.

"I have had a telephone call from Ethel Hallow. It seems that her parents, and those of Drusilla Paddock's, have been called away to attend a business conference" Cackle said. "They don't wish to spend the rest of the break on their own, so they have asked to come back a few days early"

"Very well" Hardbroom said. "I shall inform Mrs Tapioca that we are expecting two more people soon" but Cackle shook her head.

"I am afraid she has had to go away to Italy in order to vote in their elections" the headmistress said. "Imogen has kindly offered to cook for the rest of the holidays" she added.

"Is that wise?" Hardbroom asked. "Last time she did that, I seem to remember we ate variations of salad for four days straight"

"I have been assured that nothing of the sort will take place this time around" Cackle said with a smile as she remembered the time a few years before. "Perhaps, Constance, you might make a little bit of an effort to thank her" and Hardbroom nodded once. Cackle left her deputy alone so she could finish her work in peace and quiet.

# # # # #

"Ah, Mildred…" Miss Cackle found her writing letters in her room. "I was just passing and thought I'd pop in and let you know that Ethel and Drusilla are going to be here in two days time. Their parents have to be at a seminar giving a speech" said Miss Cackle.

"Well there goes the holidays…" said Mildred.

"You never seem to get along with Ethel do you? Nor Drusilla for that matter" Cackle said.

"Actually, I don't mind Drusilla as much now" Mildred said. "Its Ethel and all of her name calling on me"

"Well I am sure she doesn't mean it" Cackle said. "Just try to stay out of her way" and with that, she left to do her own business.

# # # # #

Mildred had finished all of the letters, and had them stored in her desk drawer. She was sitting with Charlie eating dinner the evening Ethel and Drusilla had arrived back. The best girl of the entire school kept looking over at the pair as she talked to Drusilla.

"Did you hear about that normal family killed in the car crash?" asked Ethel loudly.

"No" replied Drusilla.

"Happened just before we came back from the winter break. A family called the Hubbles" Ethel said. She knew that Mildred could see and hear her. "At first I thought it might have been Hubble Bubble's family"

"Don't rise to it" Charlie advised to his friend. "Ethel, why don't you just shut up?"

"I don't have to do what you say, Blossom" Ethel shot back. "As I was saying, it couldn't possibly be Hubble's family because a real witch would have used magic to help save them" and Mildred's friend noticed the shaking that had come over their friend, and the pain that went over her previously calm expression.

"Be quiet" said Charlie. He was puzzled by Mildred's current state. Even Ethel's best friend, Drusilla, looked surprised at Ethel's unusual level of attack on Mildred.

"I was just saying that a witch can not be any good if she can not even use magic to help heal injured people – not even their own family" Ethel said. Mildred got off the bench, walked to the next table and punched the other girl in the head – sending Ethel spinning to the floor. Showing previously unknown and little used strength, Mildred picked Ethel up by the throat, rammed her hard into the stone wall and stabbed her with one of the knives.

"Drop dead" she said with venom in her voice, then turned and ran out of the dining hall. Nobody could believe that Mildred had attacked Ethel in such a way, and it was a full half minute before Hardbroom went to her aid.

"Charlie…" she looked back at the dumbstruck boy. "Follow her" and he rushed off after Mildred. "As for you, Ethel Hallow, you will serve detention with me every night for the next two weeks for insulting a witch's non magical family"

"But my father…"

"… has no say over a disciplinary matter. Looking back over past incidents, it seems as if I have made a number of mistakes involving the blame I assign certain students" Hardbroom gave Ethel a look of pure disgust. "It is bad enough for her very much loved cat to have died, but to tease her about a family with the same… Oh my word…!" Hardbroom was so shocked by the realisation that she actually staggered backwards a little.

"Are you alright, Constance?" asked Cackle from her table.

"I think, Headmistress, that Tabby was not the only one hit by a car" Hardbroom said. "Drusilla, can I trust you to sort Ethel out?" and the girl nodded – still stunned by what had just taken place. "Headmistress, I think we better go after Mildred Hubble ourselves. I think we have made a terrible oversight" and she, Cackle, Drill and Bat left the dining hall in a hurry.

# # # # #

"She got some stuff from her room, pushed past me and then went into the bathroom" Charlie said. "Whatever she has done to the door, I can not get it open" he added.

"Mildred?" Cackle called. "Mildred Hubble, can you hear me?" but all the Headmistress could hear was the sound of running water that stopped and somebody getting in a bath. "I'm sorry about your family… we just didn't know about them – that's all. Is there anything that we can do for you…?"

"JESUS CHRIST!" Drill's voice came from Mildred's room.

"He ain't going to be of much use" said Charlie under his breath. Drill came running up to them with a sheet of paper in her hand

"She's going to kill herself" the PE teacher said, and the group all went very pale indeed.

"Are you sure?" asked Cackle as Charlie lowered the fainted Miss Bat to the floor and out of the way.

"It's a suicide note" Drill said. "This was for Charlie, but there is one for all the staff and her friends" Charlie snatched the letter and began to read.

_Dear Charlie,_

_I am so sorry to be selfish, but I can not face the idea of life without my family. They died in a car crash a couple of weeks before we came back from winter break. I've tried cutting to make the pain go away, and made potions, but nothing works at all. I've decided to end my pain and suffering by cutting my wrists in a warm bath and swallowing an overdose of pills. I am glad that we were friends, and I am so, so sorry that nothing could ever happen between us now. Understand that I decided on this action of my own free will, and that nobody has forced me to do this. Look after the others, would you?_

_Love_

_Mildred Hubble_

"Well blast the door down!" Drill said.

"How?" asked the deputy. "I don't have the key"

"Are you not a witch?" Drill said at Hardbroom. If it had been any other occasion, Drill would have enjoyed the reversal of circumstances.

"Oh, yes of course" Hardbroom was shaken. "_Kista Pandorum_" she waved her hand and then was pushed aside by Charlie as he raced inside the bathroom.

"Crap…" he said. Mildred was lying with her eyes shut in a bath of blood dyed steaming water.

"Are we too late?" asked Cackle. Charlie put a finger to Mildred's neck and felt for a pulse.

"Nearly" he said. "We need to get her to a hospital quickly"

"And reveal magic?" asked Hardbroom

"She's lost a lot of blood" said Drill. "Any more and we might loose her"

"Can we at least stop the bleeding?" Charlie asked. He was helped by Drill and Cackle to pull Mildred to a sitting position in the bath.

"I have some bandages in a first aid kit in my quarters" Drill said. Hardbroom vanished on the spot and returned several seconds later to hand over a small green box.

"What else do you want me to do?" she asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Drill said.

"Well… I…" Hardbroom was stunned.

"Sorry" Drill apologised. "Something to replace the blood she has lost… Can you make a potion up for that?"

"I shall see what I can do" said Hardbroom. "Is there anything else?" she asked.

"We need a salve we can put over the cuts" said Charlie, wrapping up Mildred's left wrist with a bandage.

"Should I telephone for a doctor?" Cackle asked. "Just to be on the safe side?"

"How about we get her stable for now?" Charlie said. "We don't have much time to lose" he added. Without a single word being muttered, Hardbroom transported herself, Drill, Charlie and Mildred to Mildred's bedroom. She then vanished to make the much needed potions.

"We need to get her out of these wet things" Drill said.

"Right" said Charlie, and pulled out the first clothes he could find – a set of pyjamas.

"You should wait outside" Drill told the boy. "I'll change her" but Charlie shook his head.

"I've seen it before" was his reply. Drill raised an eyebrow but made no comment on the subject. They stripped her completely naked, dried her off and then dressed her in the pyjamas before putting her into her bed.

"You better go and see how the potion is coming on" said Drill after a few moments. "I'll stay with Mildred until you get back" and Charlie was torn between leaving his friend and finding out about the potions.

# # # # #

"Maud?" the woman called. "Maud? You have a call" and she handed the handset to her daughter.

"Hello?" Maud said.

"_Maud, its Enid_"

"You still coming to the cinema tonight?" Maud asked her friend.

"_No, and neither are the rest of us_"

"Whatever for?"

"_Charlie Blossom just called me from the school. There has been an incident at the school involving Milly_"

"What kind of accident?" Maud asked.

"_According to what he told me, Mildred lost more then her cat when the car hit. It killed her entire family as well_"

"Oh my…" Maud was shocked and started crying.

"_Mildred was going to kill herself soon after we got back, but Ethel came back a bit early and said something to tip her over the edge. Charlie has rung the others, and we're flying there as quick as we can_" Enid's voice seemed to betray the same emotion that Maud was feeling.

"That'll take hours!" she said.

"_How soon can you go?_" Enid asked.

"I left thirty seconds ago" Maud put down the phone and went for her broom.

# # # # #

"That is the last one for now" said Hardbroom. She had brewed a number of potions to save Mildred's life, and now took empty vial from Drill to place in the box she had with her.

"Will this work?" the other teacher asked.

"I truly do not know if it will or not. We will know in around twelve hours or so" Hardbroom looked down at the peaceful looking figure of Mildred.

"If only she had told one of us…" Drill said.

"If there is one thing I have learned about Mildred Hubble, it is that she keeps problems to herself as much as possible. The times she has brought them to me, I have dismissed her as being childish and trivial matters" the deputy was much upset by her past actions.

"Well now is not the time to think about that" Charlie said.

"Indeed" said Drill.

"Is there anything else we can do for her?" Charlie asked Hardbroom.

"Just changing the healing pads" she told him. "I shall return to brew more potions that Mildred will need. If her condition worsens, then let me know at once. We'll telephone for a Doctor then"

# # # # #

"We're close to the castle" Enid shouted, pointing at the turrets in the far distance.

"Another half an hour" Ruby shouted back.

"Lets hope we make it" Jadu said, wind hitting at her face like invisible tree branches. Maud remained silent and concentrated mainly on flying her broom. The rest of her mind was occupied with thoughts of her friend.

"_Oh, Mildred… why couldn't you tell one of us?_" she thought.

# # # # #

"How are you feeling?" asked Drill.

"Angry" Charlie replied.

"At Mildred?"

"No… not at her" he shook his head. "I should have known what she was going to do" Charlie ran his hands through his hair in despair.

"We knew something was up, but we believed Mildred's story about Tabby dying" Drill said. "There was nothing at all that we could have done"

"I keep telling myself that, but that doesn't help" said Charlie. "I'm supposed to be her friend… I _should_ have seen it coming"

"The best thing to do is not blame yourself" Drill told him.

"Easy for you to say" said Charlie. The two sat in silence for a long while before Cackle put her head around the door.

"Any change?" she asked.

"Nothing" Drill said sadly. She got up and stretched her slightly tired legs. "I'm getting some coffee" she said. "You want some, Charlie?"

"Please" the boy replied, but kept his eyes on Mildred all the time. The two teachers left the room and Charlie couldn't help but feel anger at himself as he looked down upon the thin figure of his friend. "I don't know if you can hear me, Milly, but I want to say how sorry I am for not being there when you needed help the most. If you get through this, I promise to make it up by being an even better friend…"

# # # # #

"I'm losing it!" screamed Maud. The four of them had flown through a rainstorm in their desperate flight to return to Cackle's. Rainstorms and brooms seldom got on with one another, and Maud was rapidly losing altitude – much as the others were also.

"God knows what HB will think of our landing" Enid said as they lined up for a landing in the courtyard.

"Doesn't matter if we smash them to bits, so long as we get to Milly in time" Jadu said.

"I'd rather get on the ground then join the choir fantastic" Ruby said. The four of them only had one shot at the fast landing, and came in very hot. They bounced back up from the courtyard stones, but they ignored everything they knew about proper broom landing techniques, and slammed the brooms into the deck and rolled off them – making a safe enough landing.

# # # # #

"I've just had telephone calls from a number of concerned parents" Cackle said. "It seems that Enid Nightshade, Maud Moonshine, Jadu Wali and Ruby Cherrytree have suddenly done a vanishing act. They just put on their travelling cloaks and set off on their brooms. I don't know where they could have-"

"We're here" said a collection of four piles of wet clothes in human shape. The soaked girls came through the doorway to Mildred's bedroom and stood at the end of her bed.

"I might have known…" said Cackle with a genuine smile of relief. She had been worried that this was, in fact, an attempt by her wicked twin sister to take over the school once more. She had never seen a more close friendship then between the five girls. Their dedication to one another was such that they had dropped being on the short break and had flown back to their school to be at Mildred's bedside.

"How is she?" asked Enid.

"She is doing as well as can be expected" Drill said. "Miss Hardbroom has made a number of potions to help get her well again. Charlie and I have been changing the healing pads on Mildred's slashed wrists every hour"

"Where is Charlie?" asked Maud, looking round but not finding the boy.

"He is asleep in the staffroom" Cackle said. "We convinced him to get some much needed rest. I will let him know you have arrived" the headmistress looked at the mixed group. "I will ask Miss Bat to find you something to wear instead of those wet things" she added, pointing out the wet normal clothes that a teenager wore.

"If you four want to stay here, I will get you some hot chocolate" Drill said. "I'll leave it out for you to drink. You can have it whilst you warm up in the kitchen" and both adults left the girls to their thoughts.

# # # # #

Charlie Blossom just about set a new land speed record the moment Cackle told him the arrival of the four, and they worked out a system of looking after Mildred's needs. Just as they finalised details, the sick girl started shaking violently and breaking into a hot sweat which covered her like a glistening second skin.

"I feared this would happen" Hardbroom said.

"I shall call the Doctor" Cackle said, heading for the door, but was stopped by the gentle pull of her deputy's hand.

"Mildred Hubble is beyond any kind of help we can give her" she said quietly. "She is fighting for her life, and this is a battle that death has yet to lose. We should know by morning if this fever has broken"

"Fever?" Enid spun round to glare at her form mistress. "You made Mildred worse?"

"It was not my choice, I assure you, Enid" Hardbroom said. "In order to cleanse Mildred of the poisonous amount of pills she took, I had to create a fever so she could sweat it out. Sometimes, and this is once in a purple moon, a person can react badly to it. I will not lie to you, Enid Nightshade. There is every chance that Mildred Hubble will not see morning. If she was a healthy person, then she would be able to shake the fever off. However, she has not been eating the right amounts of things and therefore is underweight. Her body is a battlefield fighting the sickness, and Mildred is just the commander"

"And like a thousand other commanders, on a thousand other battlefields, I await the dawn" Maud quoted.

"Voltaire?" Hardbroom asked. "Wilde?" she couldn't place the quote.

"Picard" Maud said.

"I'll get some flannels and cold water" Ruby said.

"I'll help" said Charlie, and they left the room.

"I hope she makes it" Cackle said.

"As do I, Amelia" Hardbroom said.

"That is a lie if ever I heard one" Enid said, using the sleeve of a uniform shirt to wipe Mildred's damp brow. "You've tried to have her expelled a number of times. This would please you to no end of delight. Mildred never messing things up? Mildred never being late for lessons? Mildred never bringing the school's good name down?" the angry girl shook her head. "You should start planning the celebrations" she added. Hardbroom was struck dumb before vanishing into thin air without another word.

"I think we should have words, Enid Nightshade" Miss Cackle said.

"You have always told us to tell the truth, Miss Cackle" Maud said. "Enid was merely doing that. By her own admission, Miss Hardbroom made Mildred sicker then she already was. Could she not have made a simple vomiting potion to get the pills out of her system?"

"We shall save this for another time" Cackle said, then turned and walked away with a mixed bag of emotions playing over her face.


	4. Partially Bright Light

**Partially Bright Light**

"Is that how they really see me, Amelia?" Hardbroom asked Cackle. The headmistress had found her deputy in her rooms sitting at a table with a pot of strong tea beside her.

"I am sure they do not mean it, Constance" Cackle assured her. "The girls are very emotional at the moment. I would guess that Enid will come and apologise soon enough"

"I rather think she sees me as an ogre" Hardbroom said dryly.

"She was just angry and upset" Cackle assured her, putting a hand on top of Hardbroom's crossed ones. "Give them time to come to terms with what is happening"

"Witches should learn to not lose their temper" Hardbroom shook her hands free and sipped her hot drink.

"I think you are too harsh on them sometimes, Constance" Cackle told her flatly. "Right now we have four very frightened and very worried girls. I'd like you to keep away from them for a while. Let them cool down for a while"

# # # # #

"Any change?" asked Drill. She came inside Mildred's bedroom to take over the watch.

"She seems a little cooler, but I might be imagining things" Bat said.

"What about them?" Drill asked, pointing to the sleeping figures of Enid, Maud, Charlie, Jadu and Ruby resting with heads on the next person's shoulder or head.

"They won't leave" Bat gave a little smile at the huddle. They had just sat on the floor next to the desk and then gone to sleep. "Its funny, actually"

"What is?"

"I have been teaching here a great number of years now, Imogen, and I have never seen such a dedicated group of friends. The only ones that come close to them are Fenella and Griselda" Bat looked at Mildred lying in the bed.

"Something the matter, Davina?" Drill asked.

"That blood replacement potion isn't going to work well enough" the chanting teacher said, twirling a baton around in her fingers.

"How do you mean?" Drill asked. "Constance said it would work"

"It will work, Imogen, but not as well as it should do. Mildred lost a lot of her blood when she cut her own wrists. The replacement is used when you've cut your arm open, or badly gashed your leg" and the chanting teacher saw the understanding dawn on her colleague's face.

"So we need to get Mildred some more blood? Is that what your saying?" she asked.

"Get her some more blood?" Bat smiled weakly. "You can't just simply go down to the village and get some blood from the shop"

"It wasn't that I was thinking of…" said Drill, looking sideways at the huddle of sleeping figures.

# # # # #

"No!" Hardbroom said soundly. "It can not happen"

"But…" Drill said.

"I know of what you are thinking of, Imogen" Hardbroom said, "But a Witch's blood can not be taken from one person to another. It would be like putting petrol into a car that runs on diesel. Admittedly though, it could be done under the right circumstances. The reasons for that are dark and forbidden for Witches to use"

"Fine" Drill said. "Tell me what to do, and I'll do it. As you are fond of reminding me, I am not a witch"

"It is a little more complicated then that" Cackle said. "A witch's blood contains the very magic we use. If, for instance, Constance wanted the powers Mildred has for those drawings, she would need some of her blood to perform a dark ritual"

"So what do we do?" asked Drill, despair coming over her.

"Hope that Mildred Hubble can fight the darkness that has invaded her mind" Bat said from her seat. She had not been in her cupboard for over a day and a half now - a new record.

"I wish we could simply do some kind of spell to solve all of this" Hardbroom said. "It is annoying to think that I can not use magic"

"Welcome to my world" Drill spoke with a well aimed stab.

# # # # #

"Hunghhhhh…. Mmmmmm…. Ahhhhhhhh…." the five of them opened their eyes in sequence and looked at Mildred as she thrashed around in the bed.

"Is this good or bad?" asked Charlie as they jumped up.

"She woke up, so I guess that it is alright" Maud said.

"I'll get Miss Cackle" said Enid, and rushed out the bedroom. She was back a minute later with Cackle and the other teachers following close behind.

"This is good" said Hardbroom. "She has beaten the fever and looks as if she might awaken soon" she added.

"Now that the worst is over, do you want to get some sleep?" asked Cackle.

"Did Mildred rest?" asked Ruby.

"No…" Cackle said carefully.

"Then we don't rest" said the girl. "Could do with a shower though" she added.

"I didn't want to say anything…" Cackle said in a light hearted manner.

"You four go first" Charlie said.

"You can all go for one, Charlie"

"One boy and four girls…?" the friends laughed.

"I should think, under the circumstances, that we could allow it on this occasion" Hardbroom said. "As long as you do not use the same cubicle" she added with a thin smile. As it happened, Charlie used the showers after the girls as he had to run back to the room he was staying in to get his shower things. When they had gathered back in Mildred's room, they found bacon sandwiches and pots of tea and coffee awaiting them. They had them as they sat or stood waiting for Mildred to awaken.

# # # # #

"Constance!" Miss Cackle shouted, and Hardbroom jerked upwards from the desk she had her head on.

"Oh no… please tell me…"

"Nothing like that, Constance. I thought you should get some rest. And by that I mean actually sleep - instead of just taking some potion you brew up"

"Under the circumstances, Amelia…" Hardbroom stopped speaking as she saw Cackle's head shake from side to side.

"That was not a suggestion from your friend, Constance. It was an order from you employer" she chuckled. "If anything happens, you will be the seventh person to know"

"Seventh?"

"The five of them, whoever is watching and then you"

# # # # #

"Damn"

"Same as I feel" Charlie told Jadu. After a few minutes of Mildred moaning and groaning, she had fallen still once more. The fever did appear to be broken, but nothing had happened since.

"I wish she would give us a sign" Maud said, kicking at the end of the bed with a foot.

"She will wake up when she is able to" said Ruby.

"I just wish she'd wake up now!" Maud said hotly, then kicked the bed again with even more force.

"Don't do that Maud. HB will put you in detention or something. I don't think that kicking a poor bed is going to help matters"

"Milly is right, you know" said Enid. "We've just got to sit it out and MILDRED'S AWAKE!" she screamed, and everyone looked to see their friend open her eyes slowly.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…" Maud chanted like a spell. The five of them stood around the bed.

"Am I in hell?" asked Mildred.

"No" Charlie replied with relief evident in his voice. "Why would you think that?" he asked her.

"I thought I might go there because I killed myself" Mildred replied, blinking in the morning sunlight.

"Well you haven't, and you didn't" said Maud.

"You gave us a very nasty scare" Enid noted. "Why didn't you tell us?" she asked.

"I didn't want to trouble you" came the reply. "Everyone is working so hard for the 4th Year exams that I didn't want to trouble you with my problems"

"So you tried to kill yourself?" the girls had tears running down their faces, and Charlie looked to be following suit.

"I tried cutting and other ways of self harming first. Every time I saw blood pouring out of me, I felt alive for those few minutes" Mildred said.

"You could have got help from any of us, or from Miss Cackle" Ruby said.

"Didn't want to be a burden" their friend replied.

"You are never a burden" Jadu sobbed.

"_No_" thought Hardbroom. "_She never is_" and then left as silently and as invisible as possible.

# # # # #

With the help of several potions brewed by Hardbroom, Mildred was fit enough to be taken for a much needed shower. Once she was back, the girl got back into a freshly made bed wearing clean pyjamas and was told the tale of what had happened. She was impressed and awed by the sacrifice that the girls had made by dropping everything and flying directly to Cackle's. Ruby had been in the middle of eating a family meal with relations she last saw five years ago when she got the phone call, and had left it sitting on the table as she went for her broom and travelling cloak.

"Don't you ever forget that we're your friends for a reason, Mildred Hubble" said Maud. "We'll get you through this pain you have, and we'll get you back to the happy girl we all know and love" and Mildred thought about it as she sipped some milk.

"Do you mean it?" she asked.

"Of course" Charlie exclaimed. "We're so happy for you that Cackle isn't giving you a punishment for stabbing Ethel Hallow" he added.

"Gosh" Mildred said with widened eyes. "Did I really do that?" and five heads nodded in unison.

"HB ripped her a new one" Enid said. "She's been given detention for two weeks. On top of that, she has to clear away all of the plates at meal times until Cackle says otherwise" she added.

"I was just so mad with everything" Mildred said. "Did I hurt her badly?"

"You tore through the skin and ripped apart some of the muscle" Ruby said. "HB gave her a potion to deal with that"

"Forget about all that" said Charlie, "We're just glad you are with us all" and Mildred frowned and her mood went dark a little bit.

"So much the Worst Witch that I couldn't even kill myself properly" she muttered.

"Here we go again…" Maud said quietly. It was going to be a long night indeed…

# # # # #

BANG BANG BANG

"I wonder who that might be at this time of the morning" Hardbroom wondered as she appeared in front of the main gate. She unlocked and opened it to reveal the one person she wished would stay away from her for the rest of time itself.

"Took you long enough" said Broomhead.

"I thought you were retired" Hardbroom said, knowing she was.

"The Guild saw fit to call me back for an investigation" the older woman replied "Now, are you going to let me in?" Broomhead asked.

"Oh, yes of course" Hardbroom comforted herself with the knowledge that she held no real power on this visit. "You mention an investigation, Miss Broomhead" Hardbroom continued, taking pleasure that she could no longer use the title Mistress since her retirement, "What would that be in?"

"The Guild has learned that one of your pupils has died" Broomhead said. She felt anger from the fact she could no longer be addressed by her old title.

"Who?" asked Hardbroom.

"That trouble maker from the last two visits I have made" Broomhead replied, standing inside the castle. "One Mildred Hubble" and Hardbroom gave an inner smile to herself.

"Then I regret to inform you that Mildred is alive and well" she told the older witch. "She has had an accident during some potion revision she was doing whilst staying here over the holiday, but she is doing well enough"

"Really?" Broomhead raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "I was informed that she had killed herself after the death of her parents"

"Her family died after they were involved in a car crash, but she has not killed herself. She was still alive last night, and that situation has not changed"

"Regardless, I demand to see her" Broomhead said. "As an official inspector for Ofwitch, I have the right…"

"To nothing at all" said another voice. The pair turned to see Miss Cackle walking down the corridor. "Miss Broomhead, what an unpleasant surprise"

"I see that your humour has not diminished, Amelia" Broomhead said.

"I think you will find that you have used an incorrect term of address" Cackle said. "You are no longer a Mistress – merely an Inspector. I would thank you to refer to me as Headmistress"

"And I would thank _you_ to remember that I still hold a lot of power at the Guild. One word from me, and your GAS is cut off and you don't get a single penny from them" and there was a silence after Broomhead spoke.

"Miss Broomhead is here to conduct an investigation into the death of Mildred Hubble" Hardbroom said at last.

"Did she die?" Cackle asked. Hardbroom did not miss the twinkle in her eyes. "Dear, dear… I seem to be behind the times"

"Actually her death was in the _Guardian_" the deputy replied dryly.

"I demand to see the girl at once" Broomhead said.

"Mildred is sleeping at the moment, but I will ask her later if she is well enough to answer some questions. Now then, let us go to the staffroom and I'll make you some tea" Cackle said, leading the way to the room. "Constance, would you mind applying a fresh set of healing pads to Mildred? I fear that she might be due for more"

**A/N:**

**Dedicated to LynnHallow, HB's Favourite and another reviewer who wishes to remain Anon**


	5. Sudden Brightness

**Sudden Brightness**

"Can't we tell her to come back another time?" asked Maud.

"Believe me, Maud, that I would take great pleasure in telling Miss Broomhead to 'sod off', but she would know what is going on" Hardbroom said with a faint smile. She had over twenty years of hatred stored up that yearned to be released.

"Mildred doesn't feel up to answering questions" Enid told her form mistress. "Broomhead will just have to wait" she added.

"That would only delay her for a day or so, Enid" Hardbroom told her.

"We'll stay with her for the questions" Ruby said. "We've never liked that woman before, and who knows what she might do to Mildred" and the others nodded.

"There is something that we have all overlooked" Jadu said quietly, and the others looked at her. "Broomhead hates non-magicals, and she keeps away from them as much as possible. That said, she would not have read the newspapers we do when at home, and neither would she have watched the six o'clock news"

"What are you saying?" asked Charlie.

"Broomhead would only have known that Millie's family were killed" Jadu explained, and it seemed as if the truth was dawning on everybody else. Hardbroom felt sick to her very core at the thought of what her former tutor had done.

"You mean…?" Enid gasped.

"Apart from us, only Miss Hardbroom, Miss Cackle, Miss Drill, Miss Bat, Ethel and Drusilla know the circumstances of the deaths" Maud filled in the pieces.

"Could Ethel have told Broomhead?" asked Enid. "You know how much of a bitch she is" the girl added, then flinched as she expected a reprimand from the teacher.

"There is only one way to find out" Hardbroom said, and led the way as they all left a sleeping Mildred and went into Ethel's room.

# # # # #

Hardbroom sat in her office with only a small lamp providing any light to the otherwise dark room. Ethel had said that there had been nobody else in the know of how Mildred's family had died, though it was safe to assume some of the other pupils would find out whilst they had been at home. A sudden thought occurred to her. When the accident had happened, Broomhead was still head of the Guild, and she would have signed in and out of the offices. Hardbroom did not have access to any records kept at the Guild, but she knew of two witches who could help her find out.

#

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ring_

_Ring Ring_

"Shaddup" a sleepy witch said as she stumbled to the phone in the flat she shared with her best friend. "Whozisit?" she asked with a yawn.

"_This is Miss Hardbroom. As much as it goes against the grain for me to ask this, but I am in need of your help, Griselda Blackwood_"

"Oh, Miss Hardbroom? I'm too tired at the moment. I'll hand in my potion test tomorrow" and with that, Griselda put the phone down, and went back to bed.

#

Hardbroom heard the sound of the phone being put down on her.

"Well I never"

#

Mildred looked around at herself in the bed, then glanced to ensure that nobody was in the room before slipping her hand under the pillow. She pulled out a silver knife used for cutting potion ingredients, and slashed it over her wrists – letting the pain go though her body like a raging fire. The blood poured out of her already damaged wrists, and soon she passed out and became unconscious. Her last thought was that at least she would see her family again…

# # # # #

Fenella and Griselda arrived at work that morning, sorted through the post that had arrived, then got down to a job not on their schedule for today. The Records Department was normally off limits to them, but time at Cackle's had taught both girls a few tricks. After checking that the coast was clear, they disarmed the security spells around the door and then opened it. Lots of shelves and cabinets lined the walls, and dust was heavy on them and the air.

"Somebody needs to clean up in here" said Griselda.

"Too true" Fenella said. "Where do we begin?" she asked.

"Never been in here before" Griselda said. "We should split up and start looking around. We can cover much more then staying together!"

"Right" and Fenella turned to the left and started going down the rows of books – some dating over a hundred years and more.

"Fenny!" Griselda hissed half an hour later.

"Yeah?"

"Found the book" Griselda told her. It was jet black with a red spine, and covered in only a very light layer of dust. Excited to have done what they set out to do, they met back at the door and left with it, replacing the charms and spells in the right order. They went back to their minute office, and hid the book in a desk drawer until they could be sure it was safe enough to read.

"The question is 'How do we get the book out of here?'. We can not simply take it out the front doors for all to see" Fenella said that afternoon.

"Unless we hide it in plain sight"

"Mildred's bats!"

"It wouldn't last long, we're not as powerful as HB, but it should work long enough for us to try" Griselda said, remembering when HB had done it to hide the bats of both Mildred and Maud from, ironically enough, Broomhead.

"But do we take them back home to read, or do we take them straight to Cackle's?"

"And be subjected to greasy and cold food? A gravy so thick you could safely use it to float a cruise liner?" Griselda raised an eyebrow.

"Huh huh"

"We should wait until we get home. Who knows what kind of spells are on the phones…" Griselda sighed as she started on the paperwork she had on her desk. She owed Mildred her life at least four times now, and would do almost anything to repay the debt that could never be repaid.

# # # # #

"Hey, Milly" Jadu said, pushing the door open. "I've got some magazines for you to re… ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHH" she screamed loudly and, in such a high pitch, that she was picked up by Aberdeen airport on the radar.

"What is it?" Hardbroom was the first to arrive, followed by Broomhead moments later - the others came running as quick as they could. Jadu pointed out the blood on the floor and the bed sheets with a shaky hand.

"Oh no…" Charlie groaned. "Please no…" he pleaded to any high power that might exist. Enid pushed her way through the mass and put a finger to Mildred's neck.

"No pulse" she said, then jumped on the bed and started to do CPR. It was the first thing that came to her mind.

"What is she doing?" asked Miss Bat.

"Something called CPR, Davina" said Miss Drill. "If your heart stops, then you can get it going again – with luck" she added quietly.

"Come on, Mildred" Enid said with tears running down her eyes and dropping off her face. "I am not losing you again…" and Maud took over from her when she was worn out. It was several minutes before Mildred had a pulse again, and Hardbroom poured blood replenishers down the sick girl's throat to counter the sudden loss.

"Leave her alone" Broomhead spoke from the back. "She must die"

"How dare you!" Miss Bat slapped Broomhead around the face several times. "I don't care what the law says, Mildred Hubble is not going to die. And, for that matter, you are not going to kill her either"

"And _you_ are going to stop me?" asked Broomhead, ignoring the pain from her cheeks.

"If she doesn't, then _I_ will" Cackle said. "I think emotions are a little high at the moment, so lets all go away and leave Miss Hardbroom to her work"

"This will all go down into my report" Broomhead said, "And I can predict that it will not look very well on the standards of the school, your staff and your girls"

"Did I have a sex change or something?" asked Charlie in a high pitched girlish voice. Hardbroom was hard pressed to keep the smile from breaking onto her face.

"I will endeavour to ensure that Mildred answers your questions tomorrow" she said. "I think we should leave her on her own for the time being" and she was the last to leave – after securing Mildred's hands to the bed. She hated to have to do so, but it would stop her from trying to kill herself again.

# # # # #

The pair got back to their flat late that afternoon, and they started going through the books for the time just before Broomhead retired. Fenella found a series of interesting entries which showed that Miss Cackle's wicked twin sister, Agatha, had been keeping regular appointments with her.

"They have to be connected in some way" Fenella said.

"But how?" her friend asked.

"Agatha has always wanted the school – you know that. Remember all those times she tried to trick everybody? The two attacks on the school? Broomhead has always disliked HB" Fenella said.

"And she has tried to shut down the school at least twice already" Griselda said. "But how does Mildred fit into this?" she asked.

"I'm not sure" Fenella sipped her tea. "But if Mildred dies, then she woul – _got it_!" she cried in triumph.

"Huh?"

"Every time in the last four years something has happened to the school, Mildred has always been around to save the day. With her out of the way, Broomhead could get the school shut down, or allow it to remain open if Miss Cackle hands over to her sister. Broomhead could then take whichever pupils she wants to train like she did to HB" Fenella said.

"I bet that car crash was an attempt to eliminate Mildred's interference before term started" Griselda worked out. "It would look like an accident, but she managed to survive – even if she has tried to kill herself. I bet Broomhead got herself put back as an Inspector so she could shut the school down then and there"

"We can't call them in case Broomhead has placed listening spells on the phones" Fenella said.

"Then we'll fly there now" Griselda said.

"Or we could take the car" Fenella told her friend. "Its been a while since we did a cross country run in the dark, and the car is quicker to use and it doesn't just change course when it wants to" and the pair finished their tea, grabbed the books and headed for the car – a battered Austin Maestro got for just £150. It was black with silver running trim, and sometimes looked fearsome. The pair had named it Constance for clear reasons.

"We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigs and we're on a mission from God" Griselda.

"Or Hardbroom at any rate – lets go" Fenella hit the pedal and off the pair went.

#

The group started a round the clock watch over Mildred – partly to stop her from waking up and attempting suicide again and to stop Broomhead from trying anything. For the teachers, they had to put up with the constant fear of being watched over by Broomhead as they continued to get things ready for the return of the rest of the school the following Monday.

Miss Cackle was wondering how she would break the news to the rest of the school's population. The witch knew that rumours would fly around once Mildred was not heard or seen, and that Ethel would blab the true story to the other girls. If she was able to, Cackle would have expelled Ethel a dozen times by now. The fact was that the Hallow family had been the biggest contributors for years to the school. Even though Miss Cackle owned the school completely once again, Mr Hallow remained the biggest contributor to the school. If she expelled Ethel, then Mr Hallow would withdraw Sybil and stop donating money to the school. The Headmistress would have to make Ethel swear a Witch's Oath to not say anything until Mildred was ready to talk about it.

Hardbroom was in her rooms as she would be at the late hour, but she was not marking work or attempting sleep – it was something else completely. She might have enjoyed Mildred's expulsion from the school, but now the Deputy was finding that she thought otherwise. Whilst the girl did mess things up, she was always ready to put that aside to save the school – and Hardbroom. Apart from owing her life to Mildred twice, the girl had tried to change Hardbroom's mind about leaving Cackle's when it looked as if the school would move to a new purpose built building. She yawned a little as she reached for some Wide Awake in order to keep her going to do one last thing for the night.

#

"Nobody is answering" said Griselda.

"Hardbroom is asleep?" Fenella asked in wonder.

"What do we do?" her friend asked.

"_Alohamora_" Fenella said, waving her hand.

"Fenny! This isn't the time to try out spells you read in Harry Potter books!" Griselda said – rolling her eyes.

"Well it was worth a try"

"_Kista Pandorum Patis Pasorum_" and Griselda's spell opened the little door set into the gates. "Been a while since I last used that…" she muttered as the pair walked through the now unlocked door and entered the school.

"Lets find HB and let her know what we've found" Fenella said, and the pair went inside the school proper.

#

"Now then, Ethel, you understand what you must do?" Hardbroom asked.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" Ethel replied quietly. Hardbroom had put her to work starting more potions for Mildred, and the Deputy was about to start work when she heard two sets of footsteps.

"Who is there?" she called loudly.

"Han Solo"

"Chewbacca"

"Those two will never change" Hardbroom said to Ethel as the door to the Potions Lab opened and admitted two of her former pupils. "Fenella Feverfew. Griselda Blackwood. It is good to see you again. I only wish that it were under better circumstances" and the pair nodded.

"We've brought you Broomhead's appointment book, Miss" said Fenella.

"You don't have to call me that any longer" Hardbroom said, taking the book and feeling a slight tingle of dark magic in the very pages.

"We want to" said Griselda. "No matter how longer we'll know you for, you'll always be Miss Hardbroom to us"

"Miss, how is Mildred?" asked Fenella.

"She tried to kill herself again a few hours ago" Hardbroom said. "We've had to tie her hands to the bed. Ethel is making up a Calming Draught… or she should be, that is" the Deputy glanced at the girl who quickly resumed her work.

"Can we see her?" Fenella asked.

"She's asleep, but I dare say that the others will be glad to see you" Hardbroom said. "I shall inform Miss Cackle of your presence" but Griselda replied that the Headmistress would know within minutes.

#

"Yes, Constance, I can feel the darkness in this book" Cackle said. "It seems like my sister is trying it all over again" she added.

"Should we contact the Guild?" asked Hardbroom.

"Perhaps" said Cackle, "But we don't know if anybody there is in on this" and Amelia looked again at the entries noting meetings between her sister Agatha and Broomhead. She knew that the pair had met often as part of a scheme to try and 'rehabilitate' Agatha, but Amelia knew that was just as likely as Israel and Palestine having peace. "Where is Broomhead now?" she asked.

"In her rooms, as far as I know" replied Hardbroom.

"Right then. I'll try and stall her for a while. Constance, you get on to that man at the Guild and have them send some people over here. I think that my sister will try something very soon…" and Hardbroom nodded before leaving Cackle's office to telephone the Guild.

#

"Isn't there something we can do?" asked Maud as they watched the unconscious Mildred in the cleaned bed. She was extremely worried for her friend's life

"You remember what HB taught us back in our first year?" Enid said. "Witches can not live without magic. You can bind it so it can not be used, but the magic remains inside. Mildred's very magic is almost nothing. If she hadn't been so keen to try and kill herself so many times, her magic would have regenerated by now, but her levels are too low" the girl added.

"How do you know that?" asked Ruby.

"I do pay attention in _some_ lessons" Enid said.

"So what you're saying is that the magic in Millie right now can't regenerate?" Jadu asked fearfully. Enid just nodded in reply.

"Can't we just kick start it?" asked Charlie.

"None of our magic is compatible with Mildred's" said Enid. "If we tried, it would cancel out both sets of magic inside her"

"And if that happens…?" asked Fenella.

"Game over" and everybody felt a chill run down their spines.

"There might be a way" a voice from the door said. They looked to see a hesitant Ethel Hallow in front of Drusilla.

"What do you want, Hallow?" asked Maud.

"There might be a way to give some your magic to Mildred so her own starts regenerating" Ethel said.

"What are you on about? You can't give magic from one person to another" said Fenella.

"That goes against the Laws of Grand Chief Witch Kimmeth" Griselda said.

"That only applies if you are taking a person's magical abilities" Ethel said. "There is a way to give just pure magic to Mildred" she continued quietly.

"Is she telling the truth, Drusilla?" asked Charlie.

"I think she is, yes" the girl replied – looking as if she had been awakened in a hurry.

"We should tell Hardbroom" said Jadu, but Ethel shook her head. She told them that what she proposed was just as illegal as stealing a person's magical abilities.

"Why are you so bothered about if Mildred lives or dies?" asked Fenella. "You hate her"

"I owe her a great deal" Ethel replied. "If we are going to do this, then we have to do it now. I have the book in my room – we can do it whenever you want" and the group decided to do it right that moment.

#

Broomhead could feel the level of magic building up inside the school, and she knew at once what it was. Now, at last, she had proof that Cackle's was dangerous and should be shut down and given a whole new staff.

#

Thin lines of glowing energy came from the girls as they slowly topped up Mildred's magical levels. Another line, this one a deep purple like velvet, came from Charlie. The lines vanished after around ten minutes, and Ethel performed a spell that told her it had all been successful.

"Whatever happens now" she said, "Mildred will get better"

"Indeed she will" said a voice. They all turned to see Broomhead standing in the doorway with a look of triumph on her face. "She can tell you how she feels while you are all in jail"

"Don't you know its rude to come in without knocking?" Enid asked dryly.

"I don't need to knock on anybody's door" Broomhead said. "I am an official Ofwitch inspector, and I can do anything I please"

"_Not_ when you are in my school, Wilhelmina" Cackle said from behind her.

"Oh shut up, you old hag" and Broomhead blasted Cackle off her feet and into the wall with a sicken crunch.

"Get her!" Charlie said, but he and the girls got the same treatment.

"All I have to do now is kill Hubble, put you all in jail for illegal acts and then have this school the way I want it" Broomhead crowed.

"And that will be the day I like Davina Bat's version of Yellow Submarine" Hardbroom said, coming out of the ether.

"Ah, Constance… I presume that you gave them the book that allowed them to carry out this plan? It doesn't matter, anyway, as you will all be in jail for the murder of one of the students here" Broomhead tried to do the same thing to Hardbroom, but the deputy was quick off the mark and countered the spell.

"You have gone too far" Hardbroom said. "You are going to be locked up and put away for good"

"Oh really?" Broomhead and her former pupil battled all over the school – ending up in the hall. The two powerful witches kept up the pace, but Hardbroom was slacking and Broomhead got in a shot that inhibited the use of her magic powers. "So sad to see this end this way, Constance. I shall say that one of the students became violent, killed other pupils, two of the teachers and then cut themselves and died before they could be brought to justice. You would have gone on to great things had you remained under my tutorage, but, alas, that was not to be. Just one thing more to do, and then this school can be put into the right hands. Goodbye, Constance…" Broomhead raised her hands to perform a deadly spell on the broken deputy.

"DON'T YOU EVEN DARE!" a voice roared from behind Broomhead. She turned to see Mildred surrounded by pure magical energy. Her eyes were red; her hair stuck up from static and sparks of magic crackled in visible blue flames.

"You…" Broomhead whispered. "But you are supposed to be…"

"Dead?" Mildred said sarcastically. "I would be, if you had had your own way" she said. "My friends got me back from the very brink. I have had enough of everything that you do to put this school down. You are pure evil…!" and the girl hit Broomhead with enough raw power to knock the witch off her feet and go tumbling into some chairs.

"You'll regret that, you'll see" Broomhead got to her feet. "You and your so called powerful Deputy Headmistress. If she had only backed the right Cackle, then she could have been a god"

"Miss Hardbroom may not be a god, but in this school _I AM_" pure anger and rage filled Mildred's very veins, and she pounded Broomhead with pure magic. The older witch was knocked senseless by every hit, and she lay in a crumpled heap in the corner next to the harmonium. Mildred walked over, bent down and hoisted her up by her neck. Broomhead's feet kicked wildly as she went purple and slowly choked to death. "I have had it up to here with your attacks on the school. You put down everybody who is better then you – all because you never finished your higher witching education. You like to put down Miss Hardbroom just because of your hatred for people doing better then you. You planned Miss Cackle's sister to take over. You helped her find old ways around oaths and enchantments. You've killed people because they don't fit into your sick and twisted version of the future. WHAT YOU DID TO ME WAS UNFORGIVABLE!" Mildred said.

"Wait" Broomhead gasped. "I have money. I have power. I can get you anything you wanted"

"Can you get my family back to life? Can you get me that?" Mildred asked – the very air filled with dangerous magic. Hardbroom had never seen the like before, but she had read about it during her college days and many times afterwards. The girl let go of Broomhead, but kept her floating up with just a thought – Broomhead's own hands taking the place of Mildred's. "I'm enjoying this" Mildred whispered.

"Millie!" Maud shouted from the doors. "Don't kill her" she pleaded with her friend.

"She ruined my life" the other girl replied. "Why should I not ruin her life?" she asked.

"Because you are not a murderer" Miss Cackle said, standing with her pupils, former pupils and Charlie. She was in a great deal of pain, but she was on her own two feet. Mildred badly wanted to kill Broomhead, but she would do something far worse than to kill her – she'd let her live.

"I'm only sparing your life because my friends are here" she said. "If they hadn't have been, then you might have been getting some pains in the neck" and Mildred chipped at the inside of Broomhead's neck with her mind – causing the older witch to scream in pain as she was released.

"Miss Hardbroom?" Ruby rushed over to help her form mistress. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Not entirely, Ruby Cherrytree" said Hardbroom, accepting the help to sit up. "I will, however, recover shortly. Go and look after Mildred. I think she needs all the help she can get"


	6. An Assassination Attempt

**An Assassination Attempt**

"I thought I'd stop by before going back" Charlie said.

"You've got to go?" Mildred asked.

"I'm afraid so" said Charlie. "Parting is such sweet sorrow" he added.

"I hope you have a good trip" Mildred said with a smile.

"Why don't you come down to the village with me?" Charlie suggested. "I'm sure a nice walk would do you a world of good" he added.

"Why not?" shrugged Mildred. "I am sure that Miss Cackle and the other teachers need stuff bringing back from it" she continued. The pair chatted as they left the school and walked through the forest to the village where Charlie would be getting the bus to a place near to Camelot.

"Did HB say what is happening with Broomhead?" asked Charlie as they walked along a well used route.

"She's being investigated by the Guild" Mildred replied. "It seems that she has been quietly moving around certain circles. They've found evidence of all sorts of corruption going back thirty years, odd deaths taking place and evidence of child abuse for about the same time" she added.

"Hardbroom certainly looks better now" Charlie commented.

"I think she had to put a lid on her emotions because it would have given Broomhead a way to manipulate her" Mildred said. "Still… that isn't the worst thing she ever did" the girl noted with a dark tone in her voice.

"The accident" Charlie said.

"Only it wasn't an accident – was it?" Mildred said – tears spilling from down her eyes. "She murdered my family without mercy, and she is going to pay for that greatly. There's going to be a formal trial, and I fully intend to testify against her. I want her put away for a long, long time – if not something more… _final_"

"Be careful, Mildred" Charlie warned his friend. "Anger leads to a life of dark magic"

"I don't see why she can stay alive when that bitch murdered my family" Mildred said, and Charlie moved a foot away as he felt magic radiate from his friend. They had all learned how to keep a distance away from the girl if sadness overcame her.

"I have no doubt that the Guild will choose the correct course of action" Charlie said to her. "Miss Cackle said that they are looking for her sister, and that she will be punished much the same"

"Good" Mildred said.

"When are you going to see your family's graves?" Charlie asked her.

"At the weekend" Mildred replied. "I would see them now, but I have a few things to think about first"

"Well tell me what you plan to do, and I'll try to get there for you" her friend said as they came out of the woods near the bus stop.

"You don't have to do that for me" said Mildred with a smile.

"Mildred, you are my friend. You've been keeping all of this bottled up inside you. Once you see the graves, I am sure that you will start to get better. Any time spent helping you is time well spent" Charlie told her. Slowly, gently and without much effort, Mildred slipped one hand into Charlie's. The smile and genuine friendship she could see on his face and body attitude caused a ray of hope to go supernova inside her and fill her with warmth and happiness for the first time in a long while. She looked down to see the hand inside her friend's, looked into Charlie's eyes and snorted and went pink around the ears.

"I… er…" she stammered

"The bus is here" Charlie said, nodding to a spot behind her. Mildred turned to see the little bus making its way up the long road.

"The weekend is going to seem a million years away" Mildred whispered.

"I'd wait a million and one years to see you happy" Charlie said, digging into his pocket for some money as Mildred released his hand. He looked to see where the bus was when Mildred called his name. "Yeah?" he asked, and then felt an impact on him as Mildred launched into a hug and kissed him on the lips – the hug turning into an embrace. He was stunned for a few seconds before returning the hug and the kiss with equal strength. When they broke apart, the bus was almost at the stop. Mildred's face was as bright as beetroot, and she opened and closed her mouth several times.

"Sorry…" she stammered – falling back to her first year self. "I didn't mean…"

"No" Charlie smiled and gave her a gentle peck on the lips to stop her. "It was nice" and the bus stopped and allowed Charlie to get on it.

"Call me when you get back!" Mildred cried as the bus pulled away. She and Charlie waved at each other until they couldn't see the other. "See you soon" she whispered to herself. As she walked back to Cackle's, she wondered why her life felt a little bit empty.

#

What neither of them had seen was Miss Hardbroom standing near the village pub where she had been to have one of her occasional drinks. She spotted the pair standing at the bus stop, and so had made herself invisible to listen in. It wasn't spying as such, but merely checking on the welfare of her pupil. When she saw them holding hands, she smiled but raised an eyebrow and was hard pressed not cheer out loud when Mildred practically kissed Charlie Blossom to death.

"Well… well… well…" she muttered. "You've certainly come out of your shell now, haven't you?" and silently teleported back to the school.

#

"The pupils are going to be here tomorrow" said Cackle. "Should we keep Mildred off lessons until the scars on her arms and legs are gone?" she asked her Deputy.

"I would say that we do should do exactly that, but I think that, in this case, we should ask the girl herself. I am sure that most of the school will have heard of the murders by now - the non traditional ones certainly. I shall try to speak to her this evening after dinner" Hardbroom said.

"The idea that my sister could have been so cruel..." Cackle shook her head. "Still... Both she and Broomhead will be tried next week. I received a telephone call from the Guild this morning" she continued.

"So soon?" Bat raised an eyebrow.

"Given the seriousness of the situation, and given how powerful their allies and followers are, the Guild are taking no chances"

"What will happen to them?" asked Drill. In all of her years with the magic users, she'd never heard of anything more serious than a heavy fine.

"I assume that they will be both put to death" Cackle grimaced.

"Surely not" Drill shivered.

"This is just one of my sister's many offences" Cackle said. "You know she has been trying to take over for some years now. She used magic for some of the most terrible ways possible. She used magic to turn most of us into frogs and toads in Mildred's first year. Broomhead" Cackle continued, "Has been using magic for evil purposes for almost as long a time. There have been many suspicions concerning her, and going through her diaries and paperwork has shown how far her evil ways went. You even know of her abuse of our very own Miss Hardbroom. No... I think it is all well and good that they should suffer death"

"You surprise me, Miss Cackle"

"Oh? How so?" she asked her PE teacher.

"You have always struck me as fair. Firm, of course, but never one to go for extremes. Except that time you wanted to exclude Mildred and Jadu Wali" Drill saw Cackle cringe and a small smile over the face of Hardbroom. Bat, meanwhile, was giggling as she read the joke page of that day's paper. "Couldn't you ask the Guild to get rid of their magic?"

"Magic can not be removed from a magical person" Hardbroom said. "If, and please do not take this the wrong way, you had had a magical education and upbringing, you would know that magic is in our very blood. Taking magic from us is just as bad as removing the heart from anybody - you'd die"

"What about doing some block to prevent them from using magic?" Drill asked.

"We couldn't do that" said Bat from the corner. "Those two hags would easily find a way to get in touch with it"

"My sister would already have been severely punished for her activities inside this school" Cackle said. "The most serious of which would have been the changing of us into frogs and toads. However, she physically assaulted Mildred Hubble"

"The dragging by her ear?" Drill asked.

"It might be classed as child abuse in the non magical world, but here it is thought of as much worse. Assaulting a Witch in Training whose levels have not approached their maximum could cause a shock of such greatness that could kill the witch. I am quite sure that she knew of this fact and would have done so to Mildred Hubble if she had had the chance. There is, however, the small matter of your not doing anything to investigate after concerns had been raised by some of the pupils" and the Headmistress's eye gleamed with humour. "I think I can let it go with just a ticking off" and the witch wagged her finger at her staff. "Naughty, Naughty, Naughty!"

#

"Milly?" Maud put her head around the door a few days later. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"Alright" the girl replied. "I'll be down in a minute" she added.

"Would you excuse me, Maud?" Miss Cackle said from behind her. "I need to speak to Mildred alone" and Maud said she'd meet her friend in a while and went away.

"Is something the matter?" asked Mildred.

"My sister and Broomhead are going to be tried by the Guild next week" Cackle said as she took the only chair in the room.

"Oh, I see"

"Yes... Unfortunately, you've been asked to be present at the hearing. It seems as if the pair dispute what they have been accused of" Cackle said. "As you were in the car during the incident, you are the only person that can say what happened at the exact moment of the crash" and Mildred nodded in understanding.

"What I say is going to either let them free or convict them"

"I know it is a burden for somebody so young to take on, but it has to be done in order to punish them" Cackle said. "Now then, I'll walk with you downstairs and leave you with your friends and a nice surprise" and Mildred frowned as she followed the Headmistress out of her room and ended up by the corridor near the yard.

"CHARLIE!" Mildred hugged him tightly.

"I got up early this morning and walked most of the way here" the boy said as Mildred eventually let him go.

"Thank you for coming" Mildred gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"He is not the only one going with you" Enid said.

"You are coming with me as well?" Mildred frowned. "Wouldn't you want to keep in HB's good books for a while longer?" she asked.

"If something is worth doing, then you make the time" said Jadu. "You are friends with us, and we are friends with you"

"Friends stick together" said Maud. "Besides, we were all attacked by Broomhead as well. We have to give our bits of evidence as well" she added.

"We're with you to the end" said Ruby. "Besides, you owe me four pounds from a fortnight ago" she added with a shrug.

"When you arrive at Oxford, you will be met by a representative of the Guild" Miss Cackle said. "He will take you to a hotel where you will spend the night before attending the trial in two days time" said Miss Hardbroom. "It would be… advisable… if you girls would remain in the hotel once it starts to get dark. Followers of both Broomhead and/or Agatha Cackle may try to do something towards you" and the girls agreed.

"Yes, Miss Cackle" they chorused.

"I can not tell you what to do, Charlie Blossom" Hardbroom looked at the boy, "I can only request that you stay with the girls" and Charlie nodded.

"I have arranged for some sightseeing to happen after the trial is over and done" Cackle said to the group.

"Thanks, Miss" said Enid. "I have always wanted to go to Oxford" she added.

"If the trial is in two days" said Ruby, "Why do we have to go so early?"

"Because the Guild wishes to have you understand everything that is to happen" Cackle said, feeling the warm pride of her pupils as they stood in their finest. "I am trusting you to be on your best behaviour, to do everything you are asked and be a credit to this school" she added.

"Does that mean I can act evil, ignore people and bring the name down into the mud?" asked Charlie.

"No" said Hardbroom sternly, but her eyes gave away the amusement she felt.

"Taxi is here, Miss Cackle" said Drill.

"Very well" said Cackle, and walked with the girls to the front gate. Charlie frowned at Mildred as he walked beside Hardbroom.

"Something the matter, Charlie?" she asked him.

"I was wondering how Mildred is going to face the demons again" the boy replied.

"Head on, and with her friends at her side"

"She is going to make a man a lucky husband" Charlie said.

"Or a witch an excellent wife" Hardbroom said. Charlie looked round at Hardbroom with some surprise. "I am not as 'stuck up' or as much a 'prude' as some of the younger girls think I am" she said, then glanced at the taxi to see the girls getting in. "Or some of the older ones, thinking about it…" she mused.

# # # # #

A few hours later, and they arrived in Oxford and got off the train to wait for their Guild escort. The others talked as Mildred thought about facing the woman who had killed her family – murdered them, more like.

"Milly?" Maud's voice shook her from her thoughts. "Our escort is here" and Mildred saw two women in their thirties standing next to them.

"You must be the girls from Miss Cackle's school" said one.

"And I must not be" said Charlie brightly.

"Quite" she said – much like Hardbroom used to. "I am Susan Blackstone. This is my colleague, Rachel Roseweed. We are here to escort you to the hotel where you will be staying for the next few days" and they picked up their things and followed the two Guild representatives out of the train station. The building was in the centre of the city, and the group checked in and were given their rooms. Ruby and Jadu would take one room, Maud, Mildred and Enid would take another and Charlie would get a room of his own

"Is there anything that I can get you?" asked Roseweed.

"Is it possible to see the menu before dinner?" asked Ruby. "I have a very bad nut allergy" she explained. Roseweed nodded and went to get a copy from the dining room for Ruby to look at.

"Is there anything else you require?" asked Blackstone, but the others shook their heads. "If you require anything at all, ring the Guild on this number" she handed them each a card with her name and number on it. The pair left the room they had gathered in and returned to the guild.

"What are you doing?" asked Jadu as Enid started muttering and waving her hands around in complicated patterns.

"Checking for bugs" replied the girl, finishing what she was doing. "I didn't want to say anything in front of them, but I sure as hell can't help but think I know those names"

"They _are_ names I have never heard of before" said Maud. "But I also thought I had heard them before" she agreed.

"They sound like Coldstone and Bindweed – Miss Cackle's wicked twin sister's groupies" said Mildred – then went a whiter shade of pale.

"Milly?" Ruby frowned at her friend.

"The names!" Mildred said with excitement. "They sound familiar because they _are_. They are the followers of Agatha"

"And I'll bet anything that they are planning to get rid of us so that we don't testify, and Agatha and Wormwood get released without a trial" Maud picked up where her friend had stopped.

"Can you be sure?" asked Charlie.

"Only one way to find out" Enid said, reaching for the phone on the sideboard and pulling out a small card with a handwritten number on it.

#

"Good Afternoon, Records Department. Griselda speaking – how may I help you?"

"_Griz? Its Enid Nightshade_"

"You alright?" asked Griselda. "Get to the hotel okay?"

"_Sort of_"

"What do you mean?"

"_The two that came to pick us up sound a little familiar to us_" Enid said, and Griselda motioned Fenella over as Enid talked to others away from the phone. "_Can you do a check on their names for us_?" she asked.

"Sure" said Griselda. "Shoot…"

"_Susan Blackstone and Rachel Roseweed_" Enid said.

"_Are you having a joke, Nightlight_?"

"_No_" Enid said. "_Why_?"

"They have both been missing for over a month" Fenella said, pressing the Speakerphone button. "Nobody has seen hair nor tail of them" she added.

"_I think_" Enid said, "_We need to speak with the Guild's top brass at once_"

"Stay put" said Fenella. "We'll come to you first and pick you up in our car"

"_Quickly_" said Enid. "_They might come back at-_" there was a bang and the line was disconnected.

"Enid?" but there was no reply.

"Something up, Griz?" asked Fenella.

"Enid called and said that they were met by Roseweed and Blackstone" Griselda said.

"But they have been missing for a while now. Why would they…" Fenella stopped talking as she realised what was going on.

"I'll alert the guild" Griselda raced for the door. "You get the car warmed up" and Fenella grabbed the keys and rushed for the car park.


	7. The End Is Nigh…

**The End Is Nigh…**

"Look who we have here…" one of the witches cackled.

"Some of those brats that tried to keep us and Agatha from the school" said the second.

"Coldstone and Bindweed, I presume" Mildred said.

"She knows us" said Bindweed sarcastically.

"I'm touched" sneered Coldstone.

"And what's this…?" Bindweed saw Charlie. "A Wizard? Agatha will be pleased as soon as we get her out"

"You will never get her out" Maud said.

"Never in a million years" added Jadu.

"Oh" said Coldstone, "But we are and we will…" she laughed cruelly. "And we will take over that stupid school of her sister's and make you all become us"

"Over my dead body" said Ruby.

"Easily arranged, my dear" and Bindweed hit her with a beam of purest white magic. Ruby let out a muffled 'Oh my' before slamming hard into the wall and sliding down with a sickening crunch. Maud and Jadu rushed to her side and tended to her.

"You bitch" Mildred said.

"Now a good little witch like you shouldn't be using language like that" Bindweed sent a jet of green something at Mildred, but the girl simply raised her hand and created a shield which the deadly spell dissipated on. The two witches fired at the same time, hitting the small shield and pushing Mildred backwards.

"Now" said Coldstone, "You will see the true power that we wield" and she and her companion laughed – only to be cut off when Mildred picked herself up off the floor. She looked at the witches and gave them a mocking laugh.

"Is that the best you can do?" her pigtails started dancing up from magical excitement. Everyone in the room could feel Mildred's full power starting to build up, and it took them by surprise. "My turn" and her eyes turned to black with tiny flames dancing around them. She shot off two unspoken spells and took Coldstone and Bindweed by surprise – pushing the evil pair back with some force.

#

Fenella and Griselda could feel the waves of powerful energy the very moment they got out of the car.

"You feel that?" asked Griselda.

"Looks like Hardbroom is dealing with them" Fenella said. She was about to say something else when the window smashed and two bodies came hurtling out of the hotel and down to the ground – impacting heavily.

"I don't think that it is Hardbroom" said Griselda. The pair took a few steps backwards as they waited to see if Coldstone and Bindweed were dead or pretending to be so.

"What gives you that idea?" Fenella replied shakily.

"That!" Griselda pointed to Mildred floating down with black flames surrounding her body.

"Where is Agatha Cackle?" she hissed.

"We… We aren't going to tell you, little girl" Coldstone said.

"Wrong answer" Mildred extended her left hand which crackled and snapped with pure magic. Coldstone shot into a hover and put her own hands around her neck as if trying to stop a choking force. "You helped to kill my family. You helped to destroy my future with them…" Mildred tightened her hand and the force exerted on Coldstone increased, and Fenella and Griselda could almost feel the muscles tightening and bones breaking. "If you want me to end your suffering, tell me where Agatha Cackle and Wilhelmina Wormwood are _NOW_!"

"Who is she?" choked Coldstone.

"You know her as Mistress Broomhead" Mildred's eyes danced with the cold flames inside them. "Where are they at the moment?" she demanded.

"They are stopping people from the Guild coming in time"

"How?"

"Freezing them. They hope to turn their wills to our cause"

"And what is that cause?"

"Complete takeover"

"Thank you" and Mildred slammed her into the ground. She put them into body binds until she could deal with them at a later time.

"Mildred?" Griselda's voice brought her attention to the two older witches.

"We surrender!" the pair threw up their hands into the air so Mildred would not construe them as being hostile targets.

"I am not going to hurt you" Mildred said, and all of the power around her dissipated and she returned to normal. The others came running out of the hotel to see Mildred pale and shaking a little.

"You alright, Millie?" asked Maud.

"I don't know… I think so" the girl replied. "I just let the anger take over me when they hurt Ruby. Is she alright?" she asked.

"She'll be in hospital for a while, but she'll be well enough in the long term" said Charlie. "Did they say anything of use?" he asked.

"Agatha Cackle and Broomhead are going through the Guild buildings now – freezing all those they meet" Fenella said.

"We don't stand a chance before them" Griselda. "Not even with Super Mildred" she added, earning a weak smile from the girl. Mildred was horrified that she had nearly killed another person, though she accepted she might be called upon to do that thing. As she went over it in her mind, Mildred realised that she'd be unconcerned about the deaths of a certain group of people.

"I've wiped the memories of the people running the hotel and fixed the damage to the room" said Charlie. "The question is what we are going to do now…" he shrugged.

"Going to the Guild is out of the question" said Enid.

"We have to go back and tell Miss Cackle everything. She'll know what to do with her wicked twin sister" Jadu said.

"We'd never get there in the car, and brooms are too slow for this sort of thing" Maud said, and she raked her mind before coming up with a solution. "Millie! You can take us. Remember when HB took us from the potion lab to the hall in one instant? I bet anything that you can do the same thing"

"Me? I'm the worst witch of our year, Maud"

"After that" Jadu jerked her head in the direction of the battered and bound witches, "You could take out HB and not leave a single trace"

"I'll give it a go" said Mildred. "Everyone should cross their arms – that's what we all had to do…" they all did as they were told after going for Ruby. There was a slight compression sensation before they vanished from the hotel and arrived at Cackle's – arriving in the middle of potions with Miss Hardbroom.

"I think" Hardbroom said as she saw the situation and summed it up, "You had better all wait in the staff room"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" the class said, and, as one, left before their tutor could say another word.

"Come back!" HB yelled. "Take Ruby to her room and lay her down on the bed. I shall attend to her before calling for the rest of the teachers"

# # # # #

"This is serious" said Cackle. "If my sister and Mistress Broomhead are stopping the members of the Guild from helping us, it can only lead to one thing. The thing I have been dreading for many years now…"

"What is that, Miss?" asked Enid.

"My sister, Enid, will lead all of those who follow her evil creed and attack the school" Cackle looked at those assembled in the staff room. "If that is what they plan on doing, and I can only assume it _is_, then they will take an hour or so to prepare – most likely longer. Imogen" she looked at her non magic using teacher, "I want you to go around the school and have all the girls go to their rooms at once. Tell them to stay there until a member of staff says otherwise" and the woman nodded.

"I will get on it" and she left.

"What are you going to do?" asked Miss Bat, moving towards the cupboard door.

"I want to get as many of the girls out of here as possible – all of them if we have the time" Cackle said. "Davina, I want you to fly ahead to Camelot to inform the Grand Wizard of my plans. Ask him to take the girls in, but not to take any part in this. Constance, go around the school and check the enchantments are up to speed"

"Certainly, Amelia" Hardbroom swept from the room.

"That leaves me with just you lot" Cackle said. "Charlie, this is not your fight. I would it, if you would be so kind, if you were to escort the girls with Miss Bat to Camelot" she went on.

"With respect, Miss" Charlie said, "I would rather stay here with the girls. If your sister can take over this school, then she will not be too slow to take over Camelot. Hellebore might think he is strong, but he is losing his grip on magic"

"The girls are also leaving, Charlie"

"No, Miss Cackle, we most certainly are not" Maud said.

"That was an order, Maud"

"Stick it" the girl said.

"Excuse me?" Cackle blinked and was stunned.

"We might hate it from time to time, but this place is as special to us as it is to you, Miss Cackle" Maud explained, "And you can not fight your sister, Broomhead and god alone knows how many people with just yourself and HB"

"We're staying whether you like it or not" Jadu said.

"We owe it to you"

"What you owe me is obedience, but I don't suppose I can expect that off your lot" Cackle sighed and gave in.

"What about us?" asked Fenella and Griselda.

"You are welcome to stay as well" Cackle said, "Or go with the other students"

"And I forgot my uniform as well" Fenella grinned.

"What about that one in your wardob-"

"SHUT UP, GRIZ!" Fenella elbowed Griselda's ribs hard.

"Why do you have a school uniform in your wardrobe?" asked Mildred. "It wouldn't fit you that well now…"

"That's the point" Enid sniggered.

"I'll explain everything if we survive this" Fenella looked daggers at her best friend.

"Can we expect any help from the Wizards?" asked Jadu.

"Yeah" said Charlie, "Me" and Jadu smiled.

"I meant from any of the others" she said.

"Maybe Mr Rowen-Webb, but he's too far away" said Charlie.

"Then we shall have to defend the school ourselves" Cackle said.

"All of the enchantments are in place, Amelia" Hardbroom said as she reappeared. "I can not say, of course, for how long they will hold" she added.

"Very well, Constance. We should start to evacuate the school – while we still have time" Cackle stood. "Make sure that Davina knows where she is going"

"What about the others?" asked Hardbroom.

"Others?"

"The other, non magical, members of staff" Hardbroom said.

"I'd nearly forgotten about them" Cackle said. "They had better go as well. Would you mind informing them of the situation, please?"

"I will, of course, carry out your wishes. I dare say, however, that Miss Drill would rather stay and help with the school"

"But she has no ability to defend or attack magically" Cackle pointed out.

"That is true, Amelia, but your sister, Broomhead and their followers may be expecting just witches to defend the castle. It may cause them to make mistakes"

"She's right" said Mildred. "Miss Drill knows tons of stuff that they won't even think about. And…" she paused as if looking for words.

"Go on, dear" said Cackle gently.

"I was thinking about using the Mythiocopia" Mildred said. "There must be something in there that can help us" and, to her surprise, Hardbroom agreed.

"If Mildred were to use her special abilities to get them from the pages of the book, we would have numerous allies"

"What about Prince Percy?" asked Maud.

"He would only be useful for one swing of the sword before vanishing. All of the magic inside of him would be used up"

"Pity we can not create an entire army of Prince Percys" Enid said.

"Maybe I can" Mildred said. "If I can copy him loads of times onto a piece of paper, I can replace the ones that are used up" the girl suggested.

"Or perhaps" Hardbroom said with a devious smile, "You could make copies of me"

"You?"

"Can you think of anything more scary that you would want on your side, Mildred?" Cackle grinned at her. "Besides, with all the copies of Miss Hardbroom, it will slow whoever reaches the school. It wouldn't last long, but I dare say that it will give us time"

"What do we do about Ruby?" asked Maud.

"Not a lot" said Hardbroom. "From what I can make out, she has broken bones all through her body, blood loss and the like. I am brewing potions to help her, but she can not be moved for some time"

"How long?" asked Charlie.

"Two days" Hardbroom said. "Any sooner and we risk breaking her spine"

"Can't you just spell her better?"

"Really, Mildred. You of all people should know you can not simply spell and magic things together again"

"You always seem to spell things better when they are broken" Mildred said coldly, "Done that for my mistakes over the years, Miss" and the girl teleported away.

"That girl has a lot of emotional baggage" Enid shook her head. "We better go and find her"

"Do you know where to begin?" asked Cackle.

"Ruby's room" Jadu said. "Where else do you think she would be?"

#

They were, in fact, very wrong about Mildred's location in the castle. The girl had left before her emotions got the better of her, and she had reappeared in the storeroom near the library. She had just about got over the loss of her family, and now she was facing the possibility of losing one of her dearest friends. As she stood in the small space, she closed her eyes and tried push back the image of Ruby slamming hard into the wall. She heard the crack of bone, but had not made the connection about her spine breaking until Hardbroom had mentioned it. At least, as had been mentioned, Ruby had a great chance of recovery. For non-magic users, the injury was more then enough to kill you – if not make you a cripple for the rest of your days.

"I wish there was something that I could do" she said with tears running down her face. "I can't lose another person – not now…" and she sat on a box and cried for several minutes. "I can crash into brooms, break rules about cats and bring drawings to life… What good can that be for Ruby? It isn't as if I can simply draw her spine ba…" she stopped as a thought hit her mind. It was a well known fact that, if Mildred was in danger or the situation was grave, she could do the right spell or potion without any problems. "I wonder if I can…?" Mildred stood and left the store room to start looking through the thousands of books contained on the many shelves. "I'm going to suggest somebody actually makes a guide to this place" the girl muttered. It took her a few minutes to find what she was looking for – a book on the human body. Although they didn't study medicine at Cackle's, Hardbroom made all of the first years study the human body so they understood how bones, muscles and organs would react to various shape changing potions. Hefting the heavy book over to a desk, she zapped a lamp absently with a finger and started leafing through the book. It took but a moment to find the section, and she scanned each part carefully – finding the pictures of the various bones. On the very last page concerning the back of a body, she found a miniature ink drawing of the entire spine. Burning the image into her mind, she teleported to Ruby's room – leaving the book and the lamp for all to see.

#

"Ughhhh Mildred? Is that you?" Ruby groaned.

"Oh, Ruby!" Mildred wanted to wrap her in a giant hug, but that might just cause more damage then she'd be able to correct.

"I can't move" Ruby said.

"The attack caused your spine to break" Mildred told her. "You have some other damage, but we can take care of that"

"Did… Did we stop them?"

"No" the other girl shook her head. "You are in your room at Cackle's. Miss Cackle has ordered the complete evacuation of the school before her sister, Broomhead and their followers get here. You're… You're too sick to move"

"I knew I would die, but I didn't imagine it would be like this" a tear escaped Ruby's right eye and slid down her cheek.

"Ruby, there is something I can do to help you move. You will be a little bit weak for a while, but it will give you enough strength to get out with the others"

"How?"

"Like this" and, summoning all of her powers, abilities and talents into one massive use, she started to knit the bones back together in Ruby's spine. Her eyes closed as she channelled everything of herself into the greatest use of magic she had ever undertaken.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ruby screamed. The noise pierced Mildred's ears, but she ignored it and kept on going.

#

"What was that?" asked Jadu, picking herself up from the floor. She and the others had been thrown around like rag dolls by a burst of powerful magic.

"They can't be here already" Maud's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"RUBY!" they all said at once. They rushed up the stairs, raced along the corridor and opened the door to see Mildred with her head bowed and Ruby hovering a clear foot off the bed.

#

"What you did was very dangerous" said Cackle. She had been informed of what Mildred had done to Ruby, and the Headmistress had spoken to her outside whilst Hardbroom and Drill examined her. "You nearly used up all of your magic"

"It would have been worth it" Mildred said. "I'm sorry if I have done something wrong…"

"Sometimes, Mildred, I do not know if I should punish you or reward you" Cackle said. "You should be punished for using magic on another witch without permission, but you did it to save the life of said witch and to improve the quality of life for her" she added.

"I lost my family to those evil bitches, Miss Cackle – why should I lose more people I care about?"

"The potion would have been of help"

"But Ruby would be too week to move still" Mildred said whilst shaking slightly.

"Mildred, I have seen you do things I could never have imagined were possible from you" Cackle said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder in some kind of support. "To be honest, it scares me that you can do things, as a Witch-In-Training, that Miss Hardbroom can not even attempt. My fear is that, with everything that has happened to you these last few months, you will go as dark as a witch can go"

"You think I'd turn evil like your sister?" sobbed Mildred.

"You went after Coldstone and Bindweed for vengeance" Cackle said. "From all accounts, you nearly killed one"

"But they have hurt so many others, Miss – why should I be kind to them? It isn't as if they will turn out to be nice and good. I know it wasn't them that did it, but their lot killed my family. Do you know how it is to be trapped for hours surrounded by your dead family? It isn't fair…" she wailed.

"No… No, it isn't" Cackle sighed. She would willingly take the pain and anguish from the girl she could never truly understand. "There are things that make you better than they are…"

"Like what, Miss Cackle?" Mildred looked up with eyes shining with tears.

"Love for others" the Headmistress said. "I have seen the love you have for your friends – and your enemies" she added, thinking of Ethel Hallow. "But you have so many other qualities. You have strength to find a way out of any problem, great talent, immense power, courage and, greatest of all, you have honour. I promise that, when we win, you may have time to visit the graves of your family"

"Thank you, Miss" said Mildred. Her voice was so quiet that Cackle nearly didn't hear it at all. "I think I would like that very much…" she hugged the older witch before going to see Ruby.

"You can come out now, Constance" Cackle said, and Hardbroom came into view. To Cackle's surprise, her deputy was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

"I have said this before, Amelia, but I truly did not know, until this very moment, how terrible and vindictive I have been towards Mildred Hubble. I have picked on her for four years now, blamed her for things that were not her fault…" she looked at her closest friend and employer. "I will apologise to Mildred personally and by way of a letter. I can not make up for the years of abuse I imparted to her, but there is something I can do. If we get through this, Miss Cackle, I shall tender my resignation for immediate effect"

"I will not accept it, Constance" Cackle led the other woman by the arm towards the staff room. "Mildred was not the only one to have been the subject of abject misery by Mistress Broomhead. She will get what she deserves, and she will get it soon enough" and Cackle was dead right. A shudder ran through the castle and alarm bells started ringing all over the castle. "My sister is punctual – if nothing else"

#

Cackle, Hardbroom, Drill, Fenella, Griselda, Mrs Tapioca and Frank Blossom gathered just inside the castle and watched as spells hit the protective shielding of the school. They could see the gates moving from each hit, and nobody knew how long the protections would last for.

"Knowing Agatha and Broomhead, they will send in others to wear us down" Cackle said. "I suggest trying to cause a bottleneck so we can place traps as we retreat" she added.

"We'll throw the potions at them" Drill said. Hardbroom had created small vials of a potion that, when the glass was broken and contents exposed to air, would create small patches of ice to form – making movement very hard indeed.

"You know, Amelia" Hardbroom said, "I suddenly realised that this is the very day, one thousand years ago, that Lucy fair-weather had her greatest battle"

"And now we are going to do the same" Cackle wriggled her fingers and felt the magic flow to the tips. "The question is whether we can beat this lot in battle"

"Of course we can" Charlie said, making them turn to see him and the girls walking out. Each of her students was dressed in full uniform, cloak and hat – even Charlie was wearing one of Mildred's spare ones.

"You have time to hide, children" Blossom said.

"Or to get out of here when the shield falls" Drill said.

"No thank you, Miss" Ruby hobbled to stand by her friends. "We shall stand and fight. We are dressed in our best, and are prepared to go down as witches"

#

"Are you alright?"

"Not really" Ethel looked at Drusilla. "I suddenly can not help but think how bad I have been to Hubble Bubble over the years" she echoed, unknowingly, what Hardbroom had said minutes before.

"Too late to apologise to her now" Drusilla said. "She and her friends never came with us"

"Are you sure?" Ethel looked at her in the dining room of Camelot.

"Neither did the other teachers or staff" and the girl looked at her friend. "There is no way that they can beat Miss Cackle's sister and Broomhead. I know Mildred is really powerful, but she can't take on dozens by herself"

"I know that" Ethel looked at the plate of food before her. "I don't think that Mrs Tapioca or Mr Blossom got out either, but they might have done after we left…"

"They'll take over the school and destroy everything that we have worked for and everything that we enjoy" Drusilla said, looking at the teachers at Camelot glancing around at the arrivals from Cackle's. "I know this sounds weird and all that, but I've been talking to a few of the others"

"And?"

"We're going back" and Ethel looked at the determination in her friend's expression. "I was hoping you would come with us as well"

"Have you asked Sybil?" but Drusilla shook her head.

"You know what she is like under extreme pressure. So… are you in or out?" and Ethel pushed the food around her plate lamely before putting the fork down and standing up.

"I'd never live with myself if Hubble was braver than me to face up to something. Cackle's is our home – lets go"


	8. Cackle's Academy: The Wrath of Mildred

**Cackle's Academy: The Wrath of Mildred**

"MAUD!" Mildred cried. Her friend was thrown all the way to the organ – smashing into it with a sickening thud. She paid for the distraction by being hit with a spell that sent her spinning to the far wall. The fight had gone as they had expected, and they stood in the great hall and fired spells at each other – some bouncing off shields hastily thrown up.

"You alright, Milly?" Charlie asked.

"Die dink eye broke thy dose" the girl said.

"_Epipsky_" Charlie waved his hand slightly. There was a warm feeling on the girl's face before she felt the pain of her nose resetting.

"What was that?"

"Oh, just some spell I read in a book by some batty old witch named Rowling" Charlie replied, then threw up a shield that deflected an evil looking burst of spell work from Agatha Cackle. Miss Cackle and Hardbroom had double teamed to take out Broomhead whilst Drill had just gleefully punched Pentangle right in the mouth.

"So my sister relies on children to fight her battles for her?" Agatha sneered.

"So weak…" Broomhead mocked. "And also very pitiful. It will be such a shame to have to kill you all, but you children are too dangerous to have as enemies instead of allies"

"Let us use them anyway…" Agatha said, throwing her sister to join Maud by the organ. "We shall be victorious at last" and the remains of the doors, destroyed during combat, blasted apart with a hex. Dust and debris swirled as shadowy figures stepped into the hall and stood in a point.

"Never" Ethel said, "In a million years" and sent a ball of fire at the witch that had tried to kill her own sister and those inside the castle.

"Thank heavens for Ethel Hallow" Mildred said, not believing she really just said that.

"Cackle's' – _CHARGE_!" Drusilla shouted, and the new arrivals surged forwards and fired sparks of magic as they ran – causing all three witches still capable of fighting to quickly put up some protection.

"What are you doing here?" asked Hardbroom.

"Rescuing you" Gloria Newt said, helping Ruby and Jadu to a sitting position. For the amount of fighting, they had suffered nothing that could be considered life threatening – except for Maud. The girl was bleeding from both ears, the corner of her mouth, from her nose, had a weak pulse and had multiple broken bones and internal organ damage – all caused by a small number of those with greed in their thoughts.

"How is she?" Hardbroom asked.

"She is about to die!" Broomhead screamed, gathered all of her magic and sent it the massed group of defenders and new arrivals.

"_NO_!" there was a flash as Mildred appeared in the path and put up one hand palm first – dissipating the combat spell into nothingness. "_You will not harm my family_" and she lifted the old witch off her feet before rising to the same two and a half feet height as she was.

"I'll give you anything you want – put me down and spare me"

"And kill me before I get to the bank? I don't think so…" and a pink and sparkling haze surrounded them as they both went into a trance and hung their heads.

#

"What is this place?" Broomhead looked around what appeared to be the castle – just empty of everyone. She was tied to a chair as Mildred walked round her like a predator about to strike a trapped and wounded animal – something the old witch was.

"Cackle's" the girl replied, footsteps sending shivers down the evil witch's spine as they clattered n the stone floor from the solid heeled boots on Mildred's feet.

"Where is everyone?"

"Safe and sound" Mildred drew back and slapped Broomhead hard, causing her to topple over – the chair righting itself moments later.

"But… how?"

"Welcome" the sparks danced at the end of her finger tips, "To my world" and Mildred struck back.

# # # # #

"How did you get here in time?" asked Enid.

"I think" Hardbroom said, looking at the arrivals, "I would rather know why they are here" and they looked at the floor and scuffed their boots.

"We…" Ethel tried to speak, but found she didn't have anything to say at all.

"We wanted to help you, Miss Hardbroom" Drusilla said. "It seemed the right thing to do"

"You have disobeyed instructions"

"Now, now, Constance…" Amelia said. "We should take care of our wounded first. Fitting punishments can come at a much later time" and they started to see what could be done for Maud and the other injured. All the time they were doing so, they watched the hanging figures of Broomhead and one of their own.

# # # # #

"I have spent days and weeks thinking of how to pay you back for what happened" Mildred stalked her prisoner. "For months I wondered what I would do if we met again, and I have an answer at last" and the setting changed to the pair being in the Spells classroom. Broomhead was sat on one of the chairs behind a desk, but she was unable to move her body – except for her head.

"What are you doing, girl? Let me go this instant, or I swear you'll regret it – you'll see"

"Don't try that one on me, Willy, old girl" Mildred sneered. "I thought you might like to watch a little video"

"You don't know what you are dealing with" Broomhead said, following Mildred as she walked around.

"I know that I am dealing with a foul creature. Somebody that enjoys causing others pain, suffering, humiliation… And all the while to make themselves better…" Mildred slapped her hard.

#

"What just happened?" Enid coughed. Broomhead had just jerked her head as if someone had slapped her hard.

"I have no idea" Hardbroom whispered.

#

"I would give you lines or detention, but this is much more fun – don't you think so?" the girl's hair danced up and down from the build up and use of magical energy.

"No"

"Pity" Mildred perched on the desk. "I spent what seemed like a life time making this for you. What makes it special, is that this would never have happened if it were not for you" and the chalkboard turned a fuzzy grey before displaying Mildred's memories of the murder of her family. Broomhead was forced to repeatedly watch their deaths over and over and over again.

"If you hope that I will regret this, then I am afraid that you are making a deadly mistake" Broomhead spat.

"You stupid bitch…" said Mildred, jumping off the top table and punching the former inspector in the side of her head – the chair righting like the first had done. "You thought I was going to show you what you did as a punishment. What you don't realise is that, as you've been watching this, I have taken over your body" and Mildred laughed icily as she reached out with her thoughts and started to cause pain and suffering to the one that had done so for her.

#

"God…" Ruby breathed. "Look at Broomhead" and they looked to see the woman shaking violently and starting to bleed from her eyes, ears, nose and mouth. The blood pooled down and formed a sick kind of river underneath her hanging body. At the same time, the haze that had surrounded Mildred changed from pink to the blackest black in the history of black. It was not even a haze anymore for it had morphed into a wall of icy black fire.

"Is Hubble doing that?" Ethel asked.

"I believe so, Ethel Hallow" Miss Cackle said.

"But how?" asked Jadu.

"And why?" asked Charlie.

"It is something that we dare not speak of. It is known only in the most ancient of our texts" Cackle said.

"Why?" asked Drusilla.

"Most normal people would call it a madness of sorts" said Hardbroom. She watched as the flames grew blacker – though she didn't know if that was strictly possible. "But our texts tell us different. It is a secret that we Witches keep to ourselves, Charlie"

"I promise not to say anything about the thing you never told us about" he said, and Hardbroom managed a small smile.

"Our texts tell us that a witch who has a smouldering rage, feels hate, anger, pain and other things shall explode at their abuser. I do not mean that they go off like a bomb, but that their magic will take over and find a way to repay the hurt that was caused. According to myth, a witch like this will enter what we call Black Fire. From what I can see, it spears as if Mildred has entered this. There is" Hardbroom concluded, "No way to survive it"

"For the subject or the abuser?" asked Charlie.

"Both. Black Fire not just uses magic, but it is consumed as it builds up to a final and terrible release. Look upon it, children, and pray you never again do so in your lives…"

"Milly would never kill someone" Enid said.

"I do not think that Mildred is in control" Cackle said. "Come! There is nothing that we can do for them for now. Let us take Maud to her room and see what we can do for her"

"I will take her, headmistress" Hardbroom limped over to the still girl and held one hand carefully. "Girls, I will need as many health potions as you can make within an hour. Charlie, I am uncertain as to what you learn at Camelot, but I would appreciate your help with potions. The girls will guide you though it, should you require assistance, that is" and she popped out of the hall with Maud.

"You better go to the potion lab at once" said Cackle. "Gloria, if you would please run down to the kitchen, you will find Mr Blossom with Mrs Tapioca. Have him come here at once before going to the potion lab yourself"

"Yes, Miss Cackle" her pupils said in unison.

"Alright" Charlie said, and they all left the hall.

"Oh Mildred…" the Headmistress kept her attention on the floating figures, and those of her sister and Pentangle bound on the floor. "I wonder what is really going on with you at times…"

#

"Damned reeds"

"They look alright" Ethel said. "Put them in anyway…" and the cut river reeds were added to the identical potions brewing in different cauldrons.

"I can't believe that Milly is going to die" said Charlie.

"I wish there was something that we could do for her, but we all heard what Hardbroom said" Enid said, sounding afraid and scared after the news that her friend was going to die.

"If she does die, then I shall regret not apologising to her for all of the trouble I have caused her" Ethel said.

"Its worth her coming back – just for that" Ruby said.

"Don't make it any harder for me, Cherrytree"

"Keep working" Jadu said – venom lacing her words as she spoke.

# # # # #

"Despite what you are doing to me, you will never be able to win here" Broomhead said.

"Oh?"

"While your mind was invading mine, yours was open in a reverse manner to me" but, to Broomhead's surprise, Mildred simply laughed.

"I allowed that to happen" she mocked. "Besides, who said I was going to finish you…"

# # # # #

The flames and the haze both disappeared as they dropped to the floor.

"… in my mind?" and Mildred's eyes snapped open and Broomhead and Cackle saw that they had changed from their normal colour to one of black with golden flames in the pupils.

"Even though I am still weak, I am still able to beat you in any battle" Broomhead declared, wiping blood from her eyes and nose. "I am Hecate Broomhead, and I am the superior power and intellect. The battle is already mine"

"And I am Mildred Hubble. We tried it once your way, Broomhead – are you ready for a rematch? Broomhead – I am laughing at the superior power and intellect" and Cackle could feel and see the power surging down Mildred's arms in a kaleidoscope of colours. It ended up at the tips of her fingers – sparking red and gold as she did so. A high, cold laugh came from the girl – sending shivers down the spine of the woman who thought she had seen it all. Mildred simply looked Broomhead directly in the eyes and raised her hands into a casting position. "Shall we dance?"

Despite not spending that much time in the normal, non magical world, Cackle knew some phrases that people would say. Seeing the power build up to levels she could only dream of ever only reading about, one phrase popped into her mind…

_Get the hell out of Dodge_

#

_WUMPFFFFFFFFFFFFFF_

"What the hell was that?" Hardbroom picked herself up from the floor.

"Constance!" Cackle came running into Maud's bedroom. "Mildred Hubble has entered the last stages of the Black Fire" and a small gasp escaped the normally stoic woman.

"Then I fear she does not have long left" she replied. "It would be best if her friends came here and did not see Mildred in her final moments in such a state"

"To hell with that idea" said Charlie. He and the girls had finished the potions and rushed them up to the room. They had felt the surge in power running through the castle, and knew it was their friend who was the cause.

"You don't understand" said Hardbroom. "If anyone tries to go near Mildred, their magic will be wiped out"

"Damn…" Enid said.

"On the other hand…" Hardbroom looked to Cackle. "Would you mind administering the potions, Miss Cackle?" and the deputy headmistress flashed away.

# # # # #

"No matter how many times I have seen you do that, it is still annoying" Drill said. She had just avoided a collision with the appearing woman.

"Imogen, we are in need of your help" Hardbroom said. "Despite not having magic inside you, I assume that you felt that wave?"

"Is that what it was?" Drill asked. "I did feel something pass through me that made me shiver, and all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up" and Hardbroom nodded.

"The moment has arrived, Miss Drill, were your non magical status comes in handy. Mildred Hubble has entered the final stages of the Black Fire"

"Black Fire?" Drill blinked. "I thought that was only a story" she said

"It is real, Miss Drill – very real indeed. What do you know of it?" Hardbroom asked.

"Nothing really, I suppose. Just read a lot of myth and rumour. I sometimes find myself reading books from the library. Helps me to fit in with you magicals around here. You said I was of help…"

"Although Black Fire is sometimes able to be cured, it has gone far too long for Mildred to survive. The magical wave you felt was her attacking Mistress Broomhead, though I doubt that she even knows what she is doing"

"You mean…?" Drill couldn't finish the sentence.

"I am afraid so. I can only assume that the wave means she has reached the fullest amount of power. She has, I am sorry to say, a matter of hours left to live. The problem is that Black Fire can also jump to another witch if it remains in the body long enough. You are the only non magical member of staff here, and you are the only one who can safely go near her and pour a simple potion to remove the last effects"

"What is it?"

"A potion to remove the effects of magical illness, but the damage has already been done. This will allow us to move Mildred to her room and make her comfortable"

"Is there nothing that we can do?"

"No"

"Going to be strange without Mildred around" Drill followed Hardbroom out of the kitchen. "I'll miss her"

"As shall I, Miss Drill, as shall I…"

#

"Is she alive?" Cackle asked Drill. She had gone into the hall, poured the potion and then opened the doors. Hardbroom, the girls and Charlie had all gathered at the doors – hoping against hope that Mildred had beaten the odds once again.

"See for yourself" Drill replied, her face pale and haunted from what she had seen. They all went in to see utter carnage. Broomhead had been torn to shreds, and blood covered all of the walls like some sick wallpaper. Her head had been separated from the rest of the body and lay jammed on one of the organ pipes, bits of flesh littered the floor like rubbish – but that was not the worst. The chest had been torn open by a great force and the organs inside pulverised and mashed all over the hall. Flesh, blood and bone all helped to make a sickening sight.

"Miss Hardbroom?" Ethel spoke.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I am excused?"

"Not at all"

"Thank you" and Ethel, keeping the faintest control possible of her breathing, made a smart about turn and walked out of the hall – then made a run for the nearest toilet.

"Take her to a bath and clean her up, Afterwards, place her back on this stretcher" Hardbroom created one, "And put her into bed. We should make her as comfortable as possible"

"Isn't there _anything_ that you can do, Miss Hardbroom?" Charlie asked.

"I can end her suffering, Charlie Blossom" Hardbroom said, "But I can't do that – even for Mildred"

# # # # #

Mildred's friends gathered by her bedside to wait out the final hours. The rest of the school would be told when they arrived the following day from Camelot.

"Any change?" Drusilla put her head around the door.

"Nothing really" Enid said. "But her breathing has picked up a little better" she added.

"Maybe she is getting better"

"I doubt it" Enid replied sadly. "My parents are Doctors, and they have told me over and over that people seem to make a recovery just before death"

"How… How long?" asked Jadu.

"An hour or so – if that" Enid shrugged. "Would you get the teachers?" Drusilla nodded and left the room.

"Maud should be here" Jadu said.

"She shouldn't get out of bed for at least another day" Ruby said. "Hardbroom said that she'll take a month to fully recover from her injuries. Something about letting nature heal wounds instead of dosing her with potions"

"Still…" Enid said. "She should be here at the end. Mildred has always been there fore us, and we should be with her at the last"

"You think we should try and teleport Maud here?" Charlie asked.

"No magic around Mildred – it will hurt her even more" Jadu said.

"She's dying" said Enid hotly. "Exactly how much more can she be hurt?" and the teachers came in at that moment. They looked as if they had gathered for a family portrait or some such thing.

"I suspect there is not long to go now" Hardbroom looked at Mildred's rapidly descending vital signs.

"We were just thinking if Maud should be here" said Jadu.

"She is too sick to move" Cackle said. "It is best that we do not disturb her. Saying that, though, I believe Maud Moonshine is-"

"-Walking in" they looked to see Maud, a fierce determination on her chubby face, making a very slow way into the room. "I might be battered, crumpled and a little drugged, but I am not going to miss this"

#

The girl saw the woman standing in a white dress. She looked around to see nothing but a bright white light.

"Am I… Am I dead?"

"No, my dear" the woman said. "You will be in the years that are to come, but it is not yet your time. The power that is has decided that, because of what happened and certain other things, you will be allowed to live your life"

"Really?" Mildred pulled at the sleeve of the robe she appeared to be wearing.

"Really" the woman confirmed. "Although you killed a person, it was not entirely your fault. You suffered from something called Black Fire – an illness that infects the mind of those most heinously wronged. Some people can be cured of it, but others go mad and kill"

"Am I going to go to hell?" Mildred was horrified.

"What do you think?" and Mildred said the first words that came to her.

"Buy a strong sun cream?"

"I never heard that one before" the woman chuckled.

"Is this some trick, and I am already in hell?" Mildred wondered.

"No, my dear. I was permitted to speak to you before you decided to cross over"

"What would have happened if I had?"

"You would have died"

"What about now?"

"You're..." the woman thought of the right words. "You're in the waiting room" she settled for.

"Can I not spend time with you before going back?" Mildred asked.

"I am afraid not, Milly" the woman said.

"I want to stay with you, Mummy" Mildred said, running into her mother's outstretched arms – feeling the loving embrace of her mother once more.

"I already told you, Milly, that it is not your time" the voice sad sadly.

"Its funny" Mildred mumbled.

"What is?"

"I thought, being a witch, I would go to hell"

"Well He decided it was not of your making, and that He is allowing you to live your life"

"Who?"

"_ME_" an unseen voice boomed.

"Excuse me, but are you… God?" Mildred squeaked.

"_THAT IS _ONE_ TERM I AM GIVEN_"

"Really?"

"Mildred, you don't ask the Almighty for his ID"

"Did you take me entire family?" Mildred asked.

"_YES. THEY DIED BEFORE THEIR TIMES, BUT CHOOSE TO CROSS OVER_"

"I also want to cross the line"

"If you do that" her mother said, "You would never be able to go back. I know you want to come over, but you deserve better then what happened. Go back, enjoy your life and know that we will always love and protect you" and Mildred swallowed and gave her mother a loving kiss and hug.

"Miss Hardbroom is never going to believe this" the girl said. "She'd demand some kind of proof" and Mildred's mother was about to speak when she titled her head and listened to a voice that Mildred could not.

"Tell Miss Hardbroom that…" she listened to the voice again, "Tell her that Andrew says 'Muddy Waters Rocks'. She'll know what it means. Mildred, my time here is growing short – you should go"

"I love you" Mildred said as the light grew brighter and her mother faded away.

"As do I, Silly Milly… As do I…"

# # # # #

"Hunghhhh… Mmmmm…." Mildred groaned before her eyes snapped open.

"Oh my god" Enid breathed.

"Well I never…" Cackle said.

"Fucking hell" Hardbroom swore.

"What happened? Is Broomhead gone?" Mildred tried to get up but was too weak to do so.

"Relax" said Charlie, passing her a glass of water which she drank greedily.

"I thought you said nobody could survive the last three levels of Black Fire" Miss Drill said.

"I appear to be in error" Hardbroom said, staring at the girl who had, once again, pulled off the impossible.

"I died"

"No you didn't" said Ruby.

"Nearly did" Maud coughed.

"I had to" said Mildred. "I went to heaven and spoke with my mother and God"

"The lasting effects of the illness" said Hardbroom. "I will bring her a sleeping potion"

"WAIT!" the voice was clear. "They said that you would never believe me, so I had a message to tell you. 'Muddy Waters still rocks'" and Hardbroom gasped.

"How did you…? Who said that?" the deputy asked.

"My mother said it was someone called Andrew"

"I don't believe it" Hardbroom was so confused. Andrew had been her closest friend at Weirdsister College. He had died from a rather nasty strain of Dragon Flu.

"I think we should all leave Mildred and Maud alone in their rooms and let them get some rest" Cackle said. She allowed Enid to remain with Mildred until Hardbroom came back with the potion, but the Headmistress went to the dungeons to see how Fenella and Griselda were doing with securing the prisoners. They would hold them for a day or two before removal to Oxford for trial.

Including Agatha…

**A/N:**

**The title, and some of the lines in this chapter, come from the film Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. There is also a line or two from the fifth film in the series. Some references to other shows, books and films as well…**

**The last section was a last minute addition as the chapter would have ended on a cliff hanger, but decided to go with the spur of the moment thought.**

**Special mention must go to lemondropseverus's story – "**Mistakes are the Portal of Discovery******" about a terrible event that happens to one of the WW characters. It moved me so much that I had to leave the computer for an extended period as I was in floods of tears. I urge all my readers to look it over…**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and liked enough to review it!**

**Regards**

**Pixel and Stephanie**


	9. Veil Nebula

**Veil Nebula**

"If that was how it is when I didn't become a pupil, then I wonder how things would have been if I had been accepted into the Academy?" Charlie said.

"Something that we shall never know" said Miss Hardbroom. "It is something I find myself regretting, Charlie"

"Excuse me for say so, but you have changed your tune" the boy said.

"After Broomhead was defeated, I realised that I was so terrified by what she had done to me that I _became_ her. I tried to be as well loved as possible, but it was all to no avail. I took my anger out on the easiest target"

"Mildred"

"She was everything that I was not" Hardbroom said. "Well liked, respected, easy going… I was a perfect little Broomhead, and I wish that I could take it all back"

"Miss Cackle said that you tried to resign"

"She would not accept it" the Deputy said.

"And a good thing as well" said Miss Drill. "As I recall, the entire student faculty attempted a revolt when Mr Hallow tried to sell the castle"

"They seem to like the place"

"No, Constance" Miss Cackle looked over at her Deputy from her place at the dining table. "They revolted because Mildred said you had resigned. They wanted to keep you for as long as they could. Mildred told me once that she couldn't imagine a Cackle's without you there. Despite your shouting and chastising her, your cruel words helped her to do better. Now" the Headmistress said, "That Broomhead has gone for good, you can start to become the person you was meant to be. As I recall, you showed great talent when Miss Lamplighter came"

"I liked to draw as a child" Hardbroom said, smiling at a pleasant memory.

"Why not teach it to the girls?" suggested Drill.

"Make a new start of things?" Hardbroom chewed it over. "I suppose that I could…"

"Do what you feel is right, Constance" Cackle said.

"HELLO, CACKLE'S" the Grand Wizard boomed.

"I shall start at once" Hardbroom said, stood and floored the wizard with a mean right hook. "That's for cheating and making us look bad HELIBORING!" she said.

"Miss? That was the most uncalled for display of violence I have ever seen" said Enid.

"Your point, Enid?"

"Well done"

"Thank you, Enid" Hardbroom sat down with a slight smile on her face.

# # # # #

"Ah, Mildred, I have been expecting you" Miss Cackle said, looking up from some paperwork. "Take a seat, please" and she waved her hand at the chairs in front of her desk.

"Yes, Miss" Mildred moved quickly for them.

"I wanted to speak to you about your future choices" the Headmistress said. "I understand that you have talked about finding a job after you leave Cackle's" and Mildred nodded.

"I have to, Miss" she said. "I have to find a way of supporting myself now I have no family to help me. I'm staying at Maud's house until I can find a small flat or something"

"I see…" Miss Cackle put down her pen and thought for a long time. It was such a long time that Mildred began to wonder if things were alright with her. "The Witches' Council, in a rare display of thought and consideration, have elected to give the estates of my sister and Broomhead to you. According to what I was told by them, the combined amount comes to a little over three hundred thousand pounds" and Mildred gasped at the figure.

"That much?" she managed to stammer out.

"I believe that should sustain you until you can find an appropriate path for you to go down" Cackle said. "I have spoken to Miss Hardbroom who has told me you have not applied to attend any kind of further magical education" she added.

"Yes, Miss Cackle" Mildred said quietly. "I didn't think that it was the right thing to do with myself. I know my friends would have helped as much as they could have, but I didn't want to be too dependant – if you know what I mean"

"I do indeed, my dear" Cackle smiled. "This is not exactly the right thing, Mildred, nor has it ever happened before, but I have taken the liberty of contacting a place for you to go after you finish here in two weeks"

"Miss?" Mildred frowned.

"I have arranged for places for yourself, Maud, Enid, Jadu and Ruby to attend Weirdsister College" and Cackle smiled at the reaction she got from her pupil. "I was somewhat… _persuasive_… with their Principal and, although they mentioned they had no places in this year's intake, I impressed the need for you to attend and learn ways to control your magic"

"Why me, Miss Cackle?" asked Mildred. "And why the others?"

"Mildred, I have been her many a year now, and I have never seen a closer group of people. You compliment each other and make up for the parts that others lack. I could not, in all good conscious, deprive you of a friendship that will be one of your defining characters. Nothing, however, can be done about the fact there is no living quarters that are free on the campus, so I have also arranged for the rent of a small house with enough rooms for the whole lot of you to live in"

"I don't know what to say, Miss. How can I ever repay you?"

"By doing well in your career, Mildred" and Cackle rubbed an elbow that had been giving her trouble for some time now. "After everything that you have done for us, it seems only right that we help you"

"Thank you" tears welled up at the girl's eyes.

"After two weeks, I suspect that life shall be extraordinarily dull without you and your incidents"

"Two weeks, Miss? I thought we would be staying for four"

"You are only required to remain here for another two weeks. The rest of the school must stay for the entire month" Cackle said.

"I think I shall stay, Miss Cackle" Mildred said as she stood up and walked to the door, "After all" she looked back, "How would it appear if I botched my final duty to the school?" and she left the office.

"I see something in you, Mildred Hubble" Cackle said to the door as the doorsteps died away, "If you continue in this life as you have begun, then a great future awaits you"

# # # # #

"What did Cackle want with you?" asked Maud as the friends sat in an unused potions lab.

"To tell me that the Witches' Council has given me a little over three hundred thousand pounds" Mildred saw the same expressions she was certain Cackle had observed on _her_ face a while ago.

"Seems funny to not have much to do for four weeks" Mildred said. "I am going to stay the remaining four weeks and then go to Weirdsister College" she added.

"How in the name of that is holy did you get in there?" asked a stunned Jadu.

"Cackle got places for me… _and_ the rest of you" and, with that bit of news, talk turned to what they would do over the holidays. Enid would be going on a trip with her parents, but it was a trip she would rather not be going on. Both of her parents were doctors who studied in magical medicine and who would be attending a medical conference. Ruby and Jadu would be going to a science fair in Brighton. Maud would be taking a holiday in Spain with her family. Mildred and Charlie, however, would be spending a lot of time getting to know each other very well because they would be spending time together at Charlie's house. The entire gang would then reunite for the last fortnight of the holidays before they started Weirdsister's.

Or, at least, that was the plan…

It was not until near the end of the school year that they decided that they would take the option of the fifth year, and Hardbroom was most pleased and pledged to help Mildred to the best of her ability. It was not until the last day of the fourth year that, when they gathered for the traditional singing of the School Song, that Miss Cackle had some news for the group.

#

"As you spending one more year here, you will not be attending Weirdsister Academy this academic year" she spoke to them. "I am surprised that you all wish to take the optional additional year, but I should have expected it from you all the same. It seems that Charlie Blossom has also decided to delay his attendance by one year and has asked to come and work here. I have told him, however, that there are no openings available for him" and Cackle smiled at the confused reactions.

"I don't understand, Miss Cackle" said Ruby. She, along with the others, was confused and didn't understand what Cackle was talking about.

"I didn't think you would" Cackle beamed. "It was Miss Hardbroom, in actual fact, who came up with the solution. As you know, the library is often left in a shocking state by pupils. I have decided, therefore, to try out a dedicated librarian and asked Charlie to see what he can do"

"That'll be nice for him" said Mildred.

"He will also be living in the castle in a room near to yours, Mildred" Cackle said, and Mildred gasped in a mixture of pleasure, shock and surprise.

"He'll live _here_?" she asked.

"I believe that is what I said, yes. There will be a number of rules you shall have to observe. The door must remain open when you are in the other's room, nothing more then light kisses or the holding of hands during term times… You both will know what I expect from you" the older witch shook her head. "Please don't betray the trust I have placed in you, Mildred"

"No, Miss Cackle" Mildred said. Cackle dismissed the group, but, to her surprise, Mildred remained behind.

"Something you wish to ask me?" Cackle asked.

"Why?" Mildred replied. "I know you said you knew we could and _would_ be sensible, but why are you doing this for me? I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything" she added quickly.

"Mildred, I was never blessed with the gift of children. I have come to think of all of my students as the daughters that I should have had – you most of all?"

"_Me_?"

"Yes, Mildred, You" Cackle sighed. "You are everything that I would ever hoped for in a daughter. Even if you make mistakes, you are willing to go above and beyond to correct those mistakes. You are kind, courteous, considerate and just everything little piece of goodness. It is for that reason, and that reason alone, that I have permitted your boyfriend to be in the castle during your final year"

"You knew?"

"All Charlie cared about was you. I fully believe that the boy would have given up his life if you had not shown signs of recovering"

"He told me that. I didn't think it was possible to feel happiness again after what happened to me" Mildred said.

"I could understand that very much" Cackle nodded in understanding. "Perhaps you might want to go and ensure that the room for our new librarian is ready" and Mildred smiled and hurried away. Cackle allowed her gaze to fall to the picture of the only man she had ever truly loved. "_I wonder what life would have been like_?" she whispered to the picture.

# # # # #

During the entire remaining year, Mildred wondered what she would say at the end of her time at Cackle's. Miss Cackle had asked her to be the one that gave the departing year's speech, and this gave Mildred a bad case of the nerves the night before. During the terms, her relationship with Charlie had grown in leaps and bounds – resulting in some rather amusing incidents. Apart from always being at the classroom door to 'escort' his girlfriend to her next class, he was the quintessential gentleman towards her in other ways. When Mildred sat down for dinner, he would always stand and pull out the chair for her. Knowing the girl's talent for bringing things to life, the younger girls had repeatedly asked Mildred to copy Charlie for themselves. Both teenagers had taken great pains to obey Cackle's orders, but had pranked her when, having been caught with the door shut, both of them pointed out the rules only applied to their rooms – not Enid's.

"... and it seems as if our Head Girl has dozed off _again_" Cackle said.

"Or perhaps, Headmistress, she never truly woke up" Hardbroom added.

"Sorry, Miss Cackle. Sorry, Miss Hardbroom" Mildred blushed as she rose from her seat and went to stand on the stage. As she looked out over the other students, she wondered why they all attended in the full formal dress uniform with hats. "When I first came here five years ago, my first act was to demolish a number of metal bins and break my broom. I would have been thrown out of the Academy if it had not been for the help of parcel tape. My next serious problem was when I smashed headlong into the Grand Wizard in a broomstick display after the broom I was on had been cursed. They wanted to throw me out after that, even though I told Miss Hardbroom that it wasn't my fault"

"_She would have to bring up _that_ one_" Hardbroom muttered to Drill.

"I battled evil witches twice in my first year, and I am not referring to Miss Hardbroom" Mildred paused to allow the laughter to subside. "In my second year at Cackle's, I did battle with the last remaining Dragon Lord, saved a Wizard from being a Frog and stopped the school from being sold off to be turned into an amusement park of sorts… You all know what happened in my Third Year, and what happened to me last year and in this one with the death of my family and the depths of my despair and loss" and Mildred paused to let everyone take in what she had said so far. "When Miss Cackle asked me to sum up my time at the school, I wasn't really sure what to say. Then, last night, the solution came to me in a flash of inspiration. Somebody once said to me that being the best witch is not always about coming out top of the tests. I am sure that Miss Hardbroom would vouch for that in my case… All you can do is to try your very hardest, do what you can and take everything that life throws in your face and still be able to spit right back in its eye. The most important thing is to have friends that love and trust you just as much as you do to them. The second important thing is Faith – have that, and there is no power on earth that can stop you. The _most_ important thing is to enjoy it. We are only young once, and what we lose or miss out on can never be replaced at all. I…" and Mildred faltered a little, "… I regret trying so hard to be the best that I was never able to realise I was doing everything right already. By being so scared about messing up, I would always mess things up. In conclusion" the girl finished, "I want to say thank you to all of the staff and to simply say that I know Cackle's will always stay with me for as long as I live" and Mildred broke down into sobs.

"I have a surprise for Mildred" Miss Cackle said, rising from her seat and giving the girl a comforting hug. "A few weeks ago, our school librarian came to me and asked for permission to do something at the end of the speech. Charlie?" and Charlie stood, went onto the stage and bent to one knee – deftly removing a box and opening it in the same motion.

"Mildred Hubble, will you make me the luckiest Wizard on the entire planet and marry me?" he asked.

"_Yes_" Mildred whispered, looking down at the ring with a stone so big it must have cost a fortune. "_Yes, please_" and Charlie slipped the ring onto her finger and felt himself pulled up into a tight embrace. "We're going to be busy" she managed to say through the sobbing and the cheers from the students and staff – Hardbroom was doing a two person conga line with Miss Bat.

"Why wait?"

"_Now_?"

"Why not?" asked Charlie. "All of our friends are here, you said you wanted to get married in a castle and Miss Cackle can marry us"

"I would consider it a great honour and a privilege" Cackle said.

# # # # #

Mildred was right about one thing, the school would call for her in the time of greatest need…

# # # # #

"I see that everything is in order" the old witch looked at one of her former pupils.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the younger one asked.

"I have spent more than enough time here" the older one said, "I think that it is time for a new order to take over…" she took a look around the office that she had occupied for more years then she care to think about, reached out and tapped the nameplate on the open door. The name on it changed from Cackle…

To Hubble…

When Miss Cackle had decided to retire, she offered the job to Miss Hardbroom, but her old deputy had long since decided that it was time for her to retire as well. Ethel Hallow had sprung to mind as a replacement, but another former pupil became the only candidate to run the school. When informed of the decision, Mildred had contacted her old friends and they all agreed to return to Cackle's. Not as pupils, but as members of staff…

"It will not be the same without you, Miss Cackle" Charlie said.

"Somebody once told me that we each leave a part of ourselves in the places we love and cherish the most" Cackle replied, reminding all three of Mildred's final speech as Head Girl. "I ask but for one thing"

"Anything"

"Please wait until I leave here before you christen the desk" Cackle smiled and left the office – the end of an era and one of the last of the greats…

"You know, I think I have Agatha and Broomhead to thank for all of this" Mildred said, seriously wondering if this was all a dream.

"Oh?" Charlie frowned.

"If they hadn't done what they did, I may never have married you" and Mildred gave her husband a loving kiss. It was broken when they heard the sound of metal dustbins falling over filled the school.

"GEORGINA SHERINGTON!" boomed the enhanced voice of Maud. "CAN YOU NOT DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS RIDE A BROOMSTICK?"

"Have you got the feeling I have come full circle?" Mildred asked.


End file.
